


The Nature of Satisfaction

by MildredJosephine



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-09
Updated: 2014-03-06
Packaged: 2017-12-31 22:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MildredJosephine/pseuds/MildredJosephine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy/Loki aka Tasertricks. A little trip to Asgard for a plucky political scientist with a trickster demi-god on the loose never hurt anything, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Erik, for the last time, I'd feel a lot less West Virginia if you walked around with your pants on," Darcy said, placing her cereal box carefully between her line of sight and the half-naked physicist. "I know you said Loki was messed up, but it couldn't have been all that bad."

 

            "The implications are limitless," Erik said, barely acknowledging the intern as he continued scribbling on the chalkboard that Darcy was quite sure was old enough to have once been used to teach impressionable young minds of the dangers of Red Commies. If Dr. Selvig's handwriting wasn't already illegible, the shaking writing surface did little to help. "Ever since the convergence ended, so many of these inter-dimensional hot spots, so to speak, are still active."

 

            "Traces of the convergence," Thor offered from his spot next to Jane at her drafting table. "They may happen for a while yet. A few months perhaps. Not as volatile and not connected to all worlds, but still present."

 

            "Would it be safe to investigate them, do you think?" Jane asked. The blonde Asgardian smiled, turning to glance down at the physicist at his side. Jane shrugged. "I mean, we might as well, right? It's not like there are any more dark elves to coming to destroy the universe again."

 

            "Is the fearless Jane Foster at last showing caution before plunging headlong into danger for the sake of science?" Thor asked.

 

            "Yeah. Nothing like being invaded by an ancient evil mojo to dampen the spirit of adventure," Darcy added, licking the peanut butter off of her thumb. "Toast, anyone?" The brunette gave the room a once over as Erik continued the scribbling and Jane continued her drafting. The only one who really responded was Thor with his unapologetic smirk. Darcy smiled, carrying the small mountain of peanut butter toast over to him, taking two pieces for herself. In his several months of staying with them, he never turned down anything from the kitchen of Chef Lewis. "Bone appetite," she said, with no trace of a French accent even pretending to fall from her lips.

 

            "My thanks," Thor said. Darcy curtsied dramatically, taking a less than modest bite of her toast.

 

            "That's me," she said, crumbs of toast landing on her shirt. "Darcy Lewis, Jack-of-all-trades, Master of none." Looking down at her chest, she attempted to blow the crumbs off, but wound up merely adding to the pile before brushing them off with her hand. "So? How 'bout it? You guys going flying off into pseudo convergey points, or what? It's only been about two months since we almost died. Well, for the second time. You must be feeling pretty stagnant over there." Jane's two straight brows came together, her full lips quirking to one side.

 

            "Can't let one bad experiment deter us forever," she said, eyes widening purposefully at her assistant. "Where's Ian?" Darcy shrugged.

 

            "Semester's over. He was just here for a study abroad program."

 

            "How tragic!" Thor said. "Perhaps you will be reunited with him. Surely schooling cannot stand in the way of true love."

 

            "Relax, man. I don't do the whole star-crossed lovers thing. I do the act-before-I-think-especially-when-I-almost-die thing. After the whole saving-my-life bit, there really was nothing there. I think you were more in love with him than I was." Thor grimaced.

 

            "I suppose I noticed that you were not quite as attached," Thor responded, swallowing an entire piece of bread with little effort. “I thought perhaps you were being coy.”

 

            “Right. Coy is my usual style.”

 

            "Thor might have been a little attached for different reasons,” Jane said pointedly, tossing a purposeful look at her significant other. Darcy wasn’t really sure what to label her boss and her alien boyfriend. “Like the fact that he owes me at least one more trip to Asgard, as per our agreement," Jane said, continuing to add to her sketch of her newest device. A pregnant pause passed over the room as Darcy took another bite of her toast. She stopped mid-bite.

 

            "Wha-?" she said, choking herself a bit before forcing herself to not talk with her mouth full the second time. "You guys took bets on me?"

 

            "'Bet' implies there was some sort of risk of failure," Jane replied, uninterested, returning to her blueprint. " _Thor_ bet that you two would end up together. I told him, quite confidentially, that you would eventually get bored. Perhaps some friendly wagering terms were placed on it. Can you pass me my equalizer please?"

 

            "I feel so used," the assistant replied, grabbing the requested piece of equipment and setting it on her table next to her.

 

            “Relax, he was going to take me anyway.”

 

            "Limitless," Erik whispered to himself, his notes on his chalkboard growing even more convoluted.

 

            "Erik, dude, pants!" Darcy said again.

 

            "I can't think with them on!" Erik said. "If you wanted to walk around without your pants, I wouldn't stop you, now would I?" Darcy's eyes widened before rolling dutifully.

 

            "You know, that would sound scumbag-y from anyone else. But with you, it's just strangely earnest."

 

            "I think studying the convergence tremors would be fine, with proper caution," Thor finally dutifully interrupted. "They should not be active enough to cause any kind of unintended travel."

 

            "Great!" Jane said. "Darcy! We need to pack up. One of the spots still remaining is near Kilkenny. We should be able to get there within a few days."

 

            "Actually, there's something I kind of need to tell you guys,” Darcy replied, putting her uneaten toast on a paper towel, tucking her hands into her pockets. To her surprise, she suddenly had everyone’s attention focused on her. She thought she would have to do a chicken dance or something. Even Erik seemed uncharacteristically focused, for once. “I actually can’t exactly go with you to Kilkenny. Or, anywhere, really.” Jane frowned.

 

            “Darcy, is everything alright?” Jane asked, an unusual amount of concern in her voice.

 

            “Yeah, everything’s cool, I just am kind of graduating?” Jane blinked, as if she almost didn’t understand. Darcy had to laugh. “You know. That whole degree I’ve been working on for two years? Kind of wrapped up now. Which means my scholarship is running out, which means, well, no more free intern because Darcy likes having mucho peanut butter toast. Also, the job market for poli-sci majors, I’ve heard, is going to be pretty rocky.”

 

            “Oh, wow,” Jane said, standing up from draft table. “I guess that... Wow. I almost forgot you were in college.”

 

            “Yeah. My professor said the same thing,” Darcy said lazily, shrugging. “But yeah. Back to the old homestead, I guess.”

 

            “Where is your home, Darcy?” Thor asked. “ I have always thought it was simply here.”

 

            “Well, the US, would be a good start. I guess DC or something. Wherever I can scrounge up a job slightly above barista, hopefully.”

 

            “Wow,”Jane said again. “I never thought I’d say this, but I think I’m going to miss you, Darce.” The intern pressed her lips together in an amused line, nodding slowly.

 

            “Thanks,” she said. “I think.”

 

            “You really don’t know what you are going to do?”

 

            “No more than knowing what I’m doing now, really.”

 

            “You have studied the art of kingship, have you not, Darcy?” Thor asked. “Have you ever considered visiting Asgard to further your studies?” The intern screwed her eyebrows together before a dry chuckle escaped her full lips.

 

            “Little ol’ me? Nah,” she said, picking up her toast. “According to your family, humans are somewhere between ants and goats. I’m cool just being a lowly college grad.”

 

            “That is not-” Thor began.

 

            “Those were Loki words-”

 

            “Yeah that’s exactly what your dad said, actually,” Jane and Erik both volunteered simultaneously. The giant of a man looked like a bit of a hurt puppy dog, tossing his ridiculously blue eyes back and forth between his companions in the room.

 

            “I understand my family has not made the best impression for you three,” Thor said. “My father has a concern for my intents here and Midgard, and it may color his words and judgement poorly. As for Loki-” He did not finish, nor did he need to. Darcy searched the room, her eyes looking at anything other than Thor. Loki’s name was not exactly tossed around with the greatest esteem in Casa de la Foster between she and Erik, but Thor still grieved for him, and it she found her guilt meter filling up just a little. “Jane and I were going to travel to Asgard once more, to visit on hopefully more pleasant circumstances.”

 

            “Yeah. Celebrating me getting ditched by a guy, apparently,” Darcy sniffed.

 

            “You weren’t exactly upset,” Jane tossed out lowly.

 

“Darcy, you are a dear friend, and you helped us defeat Malekith. It would be an honor if you would join us.”

 

“Really?” Jane asked.

 

“Hey!” Darcy said, putting her hands on her hips, eyeballing Jane. “What I’m not fancy enough to do the whole ren-fest thing?” Jane cocked her head to the side disapprovingly.

 

“No,” Jane said, drawing out the one syllable word. “More like you don’t have what most humans call a filter between your lips and your brain, and the last thing earth needs right now is you ticking of the King of Asgard when you inevitably put your foot in your mouth.”

 

            “I can think of something else you are putting in _your_ mouth that’s ticking him off a lot more than anything-” A violent clearing of Erik’s throat managed to draw the new college graduate’s attention to the rather red face of the demi-god, and then back to Jane, who did not look the least surprised. “Okay point taken.”

 

            “If I may interject,” Thor attempted, “keeping Darcy’s audience with Odin to a minimum should hardly be a challenge. But Darcy, I know you would love the libraries we have. Millennia's worth of knowledge of kings and rulers throughout the nine realms is housed there. I know you would love it. There is no greater gift I can think of than to give you the opportunity to peruse them before you set forth on your next adventure.”

 

            “That actually does sound kind of cool,” Darcy said quietly, a little afraid of getting too excited, turning her eyes to the doe-eyed physicist. “You don’t mind, do you Jane? What with this trip being _ill_ -gotten gains and all.”

 

            “Of course I don’t mind,” Jane said. “It’s amazing there. Just try not be so, well, you know.”

 

            “What?”

 

            “You.”


	2. Chapter 2

In a way, her internship with the astrophysicist had saved her life, although it had also risked it on several occasions. If she had never met Jane, she could have been in New York finishing up her degree at NYU the normal way, up until when the aliens invaded. Instead, Darcy had been off in Trumso with Jane on SHIELD’s dime, though, with SHIELD, it was more of a quarter. Or one of those dollar coins, but no one ever used those. Yet here she was, scanning the crowds for Jane’s face from her place on stage. She hadn’t planned on going to graduation, really. It wasn’t like she had anyone to wave to from the stands, or so she thought. But there Jane was, with Erik just to her side. Jane looked adorable in one of the few dresses she owned while Erik had managed to get on a shirt and tie tucked into some plaid golf pants. At that point, Darcy wouldn’t be choosy.

 

“Darcy Lewis,” was the monotone climax of the three hour production from her dean as she walked across the stage, trying not to fall in her heels, shaking hands with people she really did not know. She could hear the faint two pairs of clapping hands, amid the painfully full auditorium and she had to smile. To Darcy, as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other, it was the best sound in the world.

 

 

 

 

            “Jane, you’ve got to try these finger sandwiches. This is probably the last thing my tuition is going to pay for, so, eat up.” Jane rolled her eyes, but picked up a small plate all the same.

 

            “Your mom didn’t show?” Jane asked, loading the small plastic dish to capacity. Darcy shrugged, her own snack tray slowly dwindling.

 

            “That would mean traveling more than five miles from her house,” she replied. “So no.” Jane and Erik shared a look, and it was Darcy’s turn to roll her eyes. “Guys, come on. You are all the family I need, you know that. Erik, get another brownie. I know you want one.”

 

            “If you insist, who am I to refuse?” Selvig said, a smile painting itself on his features as he disappeared to the other end of the table. Darcy smiled back, a strange elation filling her at the quaintness of it all. The reception hall was crowded with families. Students with their parents, taking pictures, and general merriment. Here she was with her former boss with a backpack full of a scientific equipment on her shoulder and a scientist who had shown his ass to half of Europe. The three of them must have looked like the oddest trio in the bunch, but Darcy couldn’t have been happier.

 

            “So,” Darcy continued, the words drawn out in curiosity as she turned to Jane. “Have you heard from Thor yet on our Asgardcation?” Jane shook her head.

 

            “He said he only come back when he was sure we would be able to go with him,” Jane said. “Odin wasn’t exactly thrilled with me being there.” Darcy frowned.

 

            “And us helping save the universe wouldn’t assuage any of that?” Darcy asked. Jane eyeballed Darcy.

 

            “Assuaged?”

 

            “What? I’m a college graduate, and I’m wanting to go to an Eternal Realm. Time to practice Big Girl vocabulary. I can be fancy.”

 

            “Anyway,” Jane continued without even attempting to segway gracefully, “He said he hoped it would only be a few weeks.” Darcy nodded.

 

            “He hasn’t really been okay since he got here, has he?” she asked, an uncharacteristic seriousness falling over the cap and gowned brunette. “First his mom and then Loki. I’m surprised he is wanting to go back so soon. Although I guess it has been a couple of months.”

 

            “No,” Jane replied, the physicist’s mood deflating a bit as well. “I know he’s been trying to put on a brave face, but he’s still grieving. It will be good for him to see his dad again, I think,” Jane said. “I mean, I know I’m not Odin’s first choice of love interest,” she took an uncomfortable bite of a cheese cracker, “totally get that, but they need each right now. I know Thor felt really uncomfortable with how things were left, even though he _said_ Odin did not seem opposed to him coming here. They are both just so…” a small growl escaped Jane before tearing into another cracker with vengeance. Darcy smirked at the scientist.

 

            “Trouble in paradise, boss lady?” She stuck her index finger up in thought. “Former boss lady.”

 

            “He is so stubborn!” Jane said incredulously. “I tried to get him to go home until he was on more solid terms with his dad, especially about us, but he just chose to stay and ignore it. Thankfully, he lost a bet and now we have to go back, or at least try. Odin may not like me, but, Thor does so...” Jane shrugged. “I want to go with him, if he wants.”

 

            “And here you have no sympathy for my broken heart,” Darcy said, holding her hand to her chest. Jane rolled her eyes, before suddenly looking around the room. “If Odin doesn’t want you on Asgard, though, I don’t really see him wanting your nosey assistant on, no matter how kick-ass of a goodbye/graduation present that would be.”

 

            “Where’s Erik?” Jane asked. Darcy also suddenly found herself searching the ballroom for the physicist.

 

            “You check the roof, I got the parking lot,” she said, dropping her plate.

 

 

 

 

            Thankfully Erik, while he might have been attempting to fashion a makeshift satellite receiver on a whim in lobby, was not disassembling any public property for parts. Maybe it was the Tesseract or maybe it was the malevolent alien that had brainwashed him, but something had made Selvig stop giving a rat’s ass about social niceties: some of which included respecting civil laws and wearing clothes. Thankfully, for the moment, he seemed calm enough as they drove toward New Jersey in Jane’s new Mazda Minivan that she scraped up enough to buy once they got back in the states. She hadn’t even dented yet. Darcy had never been so proud.

 

 She looked down at the mortarboard in her lap. She had drawn little satellites and a hammer on it in glitter, and she planned on hanging it proudly on the wall of whatever crummy apartment she would be occupying in the near future. Jane was gracious enough to let Darcy stay in her apartment that the physicist had managed to secure with her rather nice fee from SHIELD in Trumso. It was a studio, though, and Darcy really didn’t plan on crashing on her couch long. She supposed she could go see her mom and stay with her a while, but that came in just slightly below crashing on a couch. Not really knowing what she would be doing the next month was kind of terrifying, and that was coming from someone who had been in an extraterrestrial attack twice in the past year, and that wasn’t even counting New York.

 

 Looking at the back of Jane and Erik’s head as they talked quietly to each other in the front seat, an almost unbearable melancholy felt as if it would drill her right into her seat. The thought of leaving the world of Jane and Thor, her super cool scientist boss and the Dreamy Eyed Thundercloud, for whatever monotonous desk job she could scrape up with a political science degree in the current economy was just a little too much to stomach for the moment. She couldn’t sponge off Jane forever, and she knew Jane couldn’t to afford to keep an assistant who didn’t _actually_ know a whole lot about astrophysics. She leaned her head against the window, the coolness of the evening seeping through the glass to ease her burgeoning headache.

           

Luckily, they did not have to wait long on the Blonde Wonder.

 

 

 

 

            “I assure you, Jane, my father has approved passage for you to Asgard,” Thor said, more enthusiastically than he had really said anything since first returning. “And you Darcy,” he continued, tossing a hopeful look toward the intern. Jane looked up uncomfortably at both of them. “You wished to go back, did you not?” The former intern tossed the most sympathetic look she could muster towards the Big Guy that had arrived at Jane’s apartment that morning. How exactly he had known exactly where her apartment was made Darcy consider that either Jane had given him the address beforehand -which she doubted- or likely that Heimdall character was even scarier than the NSA. Either way, she was trying not to think about that too much. Thor was in distress, and there would be no having that.

 

            “Of course!” Jane said defensively, continuing to test her newest frequency detector amid the scramble of random bits of metal in her living dash Darcy’s bedroom, dutifully ignoring eye contact with her current beau. “I just didn’t _actually_ think Odin would let _us_ back, and that you would just take some time to smooth things over and come back after a while. He wasn’t exactly rolling out the gold carpet last time I was there, and I don’t really want a repeat performance.” Darcy frowned to herself as she kept typing up Jane’s notes. Where once she was earning credit, she was now earning room and board. But the current direction the conversation was going was a surprise, if nothing else, to the currently unemployed college grad.

 

            “Playing with my emotions,” Darcy mumbled quietly to herself, and she was pretty sure neither of them heard it.

 

            “But he insisted he was fine with it!” Thor replied boisterously. In spite of the vibes Jane was giving off, Darcy couldn’t help but appreciating the genuine smile on Thor’s face. “We talked for many nights, and he recognized his brashness in his judgement of Midgardians.” His face fell a bit. “He’s not exactly going to be celebrating our current… relationship… any time soon. He made no secret of that. But he was quite interested in your desire to learn of Asgard. And yours as well, Darcy,” he said, looking once more at the intern, who tried smiling encouragingly. “He knows it would be foolish to not allow you the ability to learn a little more of the worlds around you, given that this is the third time your world has been in danger. Especially given that you helped save your realm from Malekith.” Jane sighed nervously.

 

            “Of course we’ll _go_ ,” Jane said, scrubbing the adhesive from her prototype. “I just… don’t really want to feel like a nuisance again. It was less than pleasant.”

 

            “Jane,” Thor said, in what Darcy labelled his Unbearably Sincere voice, “I would not try to convince you of anything other than the truth. You value knowledge above all, and I have never known you to let anyone stand in your way.” Darcy watched the small exchange of smirks between the demi-deity and Jane. It was almost grossly adorable, and she couldn’t help but smile to herself as she kept typing her notes without saying anything.

 

            “I really don’t like it when you know exactly what to say,” Jane said, as Thor wrapped his giant arms around her, lifting the scientist off her feet. Darcy couldn’t stop her smile from widening.

 

            “Then we are off, then?” he asked.

 

            “Yes,” Jane said excited. “I just need to pack some equipment first.” Darcy groaned, and the sound of her head hitting the desk filled the otherwise silent apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

She was getting a fully expense paid trip to another planet -or dimension or something- a la Jane Foster, so she supposed lugging around the ridiculous amount of equipment her friend needed was fine. Thankfully, though, Thor was able to pick up the more giant cases like they were pillows. Not to mention, the only real place she had to tote it was out into the middle of the street as Thor had called for Heimdall to beam them up to USS Enterprise. Or Asgard, as some people might have been calling it. Jane had said Thor would be helping her with most of her studies, so it would be like a real vacation, and she could do whatever Thor said was allowed. No transcribing, nothing. Darcy had at most hoped for a nice trip to Europe after college, though her bank account hadn't really produced much for that. Here she was getting escorted to the Eternal Realm, and so she had to believe maybe her luck was finally changing.

 

If Darcy had let loose an expletive the last time she had seen the Bi-Frost at work, she was certainly letting loose a string of them as Thor had put one of his giant arms around her and the other around Jane as all of the sudden only a blur of color and light and really loud noise absorbed her. The only thing that had really stopped anything worse from coming out of her temporary experiment with sailor vernacular was the giant golden guy staring them down as soon as she managed to catch her breath. Darcy assessed herself for a quick moment, thankful to all that was good in the universe that she hadn't peed her pants in her trip through space, as her stomach had done no small amount of moving around. It had certainly felt like she was going to.

 

Her eyes darted everywhere at once, to the guard dude staring at them, to the intricate golden cogs in the spherical room around them, to the ground over where Jane's stuff was, fully intact, and then mainly back to the cogs. They weren't even out of the airport terminal and she was already wowed.

 

"Welcome back to Asgard, Jane Foster," the guy, whom she was pretty positive was the one they called Heimdall greeted, barely turning his gaze from his perched stance. Darcy froze as his eyes turned on her, and wondered if he could see atoms this close up. "And you, Darcy Lewis. Miss Foster, I trust your stay will be uneventful."

 

"Let's hope so," Jane said, beaming. "It is nice to see you again." Heimdall gave a slight nod, as he turned his gaze back out to the endless stars. Jane had said Heimdall had been one of the few people to treat her with very much respect, and so he was already down as the coolest person yet, despite the fact that he was the first person. She turned around and sucked in her breath, amazed at view before her. More stars than she ever imagined existed stretched out before her.

 

"You can see Earth, er, Midgard from here?" Darcy asked, careful of getting too very close to the edge.

 

"I can see all the realms," Heimdall replied. "Midgard included."

 

"What do you look at? Do you have to focus on things? Do you watch television or something?" She inched a bit closer to the opening of the stars, trying to take as much as her mortal eyes could manage.

 

"Darcy," Thor said firmly, though a light mirth rang in his words. "We should leave Heimdall to his watch. Perhaps you may question him later, if he allows." Darcy turned, shrugged and moved back toward Thor and Jane.

 

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, moving to grab her load of the lab equipment.

 

"Worry not," Thor said. "And you may leave that. We will have it moved to the palace. Come. I will show you where you will be staying." Darcy let the box drop with a graceless thud, much to Jane's disapproval, as she joined the duo at Jane's side.

"Don't have to tell me twice," she said.

 

* * *

 

Odin watched as his son crossed over the courtyard of the palace with his two guests, his two Midgardian guests. The All-father felt a great heavy sigh fall from his shoulders. Never in his millennia as king did he ever imagine Midgardians would be permitted to walk about the halls of Asgard freely. And yet, here they were, two girls, one barely older than a child and the other with her eyes set on his own heir, walking into his house at Thor's side. He could feel a change upon his kingdom that he was not sure he had enough might to stop. The lines between realms were blurring. It was no longer Asgard guiding Yggdrasil, but it was taking on influence of the other realms. These mortals were perhaps but a prelude of what could come.

 

And yet, when Thor had come to him, asking him for permission for his mortal friends to enter, all the reasons it was so ill-advised had fallen to hot breath from his lips with no words formed. Granted, most of his battles since the defeat of Malekith seemed futile. The death of his wife and his son had begun to cloak his days with a darkness he felt powerless to fight. The presence of the two mortal girls was nothing compared to Thor's insistence that they had spoken before he had left for Midgard, a conversation of which the All-father had absolutely had no memory. No matter how powerful the inkling that something foul was afoot in his home, or that his mind was weakening, the King of Asgard could not seem to find it in him to desire to fight. It was merely a hope that the ebbing darkness that haunted him would either lift or finally overtake him.

 

 _“For mercy's sake, if I am meant for the axe, just swing it_ _”_. The faint memory of practically the last words his son had ever said to him set a smarting twinge in his heart as he echoed the sentiment in his own mind.

 

He took another deep breath as he saw Thor enter the palace with his two companions. His son's face was alight with laughter, in a way he had not seen in quite some time, as he looked down at his mortal consort. He felt another heavy breath fall off of his shoulders. He was unsure of the role of the younger one, but Thor had insisted that the girl had been quite courageous when facing Malekith, and had recently graduated from a university, a quite large step in the life of a Midgardian. Odin fought a humorless chuckle. He supposed Asgard would eventually be a center for human tourism, soon enough. Frigga would have-

He felt like a hand seized his heart, squeezing it until he refused to finish his thought.

It didn't matter, he supposed, bracing himself against Gungnir. His mighty spear was the one thing in his life that, for the moment, had not changed. His body was failing him every day, and where his kingdom would be after his death remained a cloud of uncertainty with his queen lost, his firstborn refusing the throne, and his second son lost to darkness and then to death. The walls were closing in quickly, but fighting them seemed to be meaningless. Odin looked down at his son. Thor had lost his mother and brother, just as he had lost his wife and son. But Thor was young, and he had the will to recover. He took comfort in these Midgardians, and the king supposed he would not stand in the way.

 

He could hear heavy footsteps that he knew to belong to Thor coming into his study. He was thankful he did not hear the lighter ones of his companions. Allowing humans into his realm, he supposed he could learn to accept. Entertaining them was another matter.

 

"Father," he heard from his doorway.

 

"You return," Odin said.

 

"I have," Thor said, stepping into his study. "Thank you, again." Odin said nothing, but took a seat next to the window, letting his spear lean against the wall. "You are well, father?" Thor asked. "You look tired."

 

"I am tired, I suppose." Odin replied, bracing his hands on his knees, turning his eye to Thor. He could feel the tension in his son that he had no will to alleviate. "You have guests, do you not? You should be looking after them." The prince nodded.

 

"They are settling themselves," Thor said. "I thought I would come to see you."

 

"First I was bread to be buttered and now a child to be coddled, I see," Odin said, a vacant mirth escaping in the form of a dry chuckle. Thor smile.

 

"Not at all."

 

"You will watch them closely," Odin reminded him, staring back out of the window. "There are many powerful relics here. It is dangerous for mortals."

 

"Father, they are not children," Thor insisted. "I know they are young, compared to us, but I assure you, Jane and Darcy are very mature young women. They'll not get into any trouble."

 

* * *

 

 

"Oh my god, this is so cool!" Jane could hear Darcy exclaim from across the hall. The physicist rolled eyes as she heard Darcy feet carry her closer and closer until she appeared in her doorway. "Have you tried jumping on the bed yet?" Jane gave Darcy her best death glare.

 

"No," Jane said.

 

"Yeah, me neither," Darcy replied quickly. "I bet you could get some height on that sucker."

"Darcy, I've seen you around normal people," Jane said. "I know you can do it. Try to be normal."

 

"I'm totally cool!" Darcy said defensively, throwing her hands up. "Not like you'll be around to be embarrassed. Don't look at me like you aren't going to be flying around the Asgardian stratus with Blondie Bear." Jane rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. I'll remain quiet as a little mouse, if they have something like mice here, just tucked away in this library Thor keeps bragging about, where I can gorge myself on intergalactic history. At least I'll have a clue of what I'm looking at, for once, maybe."

 

"Well, we are going out tonight," Jane said. "We need to get you something more… Asgardian-y to wear."

 

"What's wrong with this?" she replied, looking down at her jeans and cardigan. "Jeans are cool. Maybe I'll start a trend."

 

"I don't know, like, they were weird about it," Jane said, slowly unpacking her personal bag. "I guess we are going to stand out enough already?"

 

"It's not like we have horns and stuff. But anyway. Partying in taverns of old: that's got to be exciting. I can't wait to smash a cup on the ground. A great big one."

 

"Well, let's try not to get completely trashed our first night here," Jane said.

 

"Don't you mean hammered," Darcy said. Jane's expression was blank. "Get it? Hammered? Myeuh- Myeuh?" Jane continued to start blankly.

 

"Nice," she finally conceded, nodding approvingly. Darcy beamed.

 

"So, night out with the Warriors three minus one and Bad Ass Lady. I need my best battle story."

 

"You don't have battle stories."

 

"Hey! I once talked my way out of a speeding ticket without flirting. That has to mean something."

 

* * *

 

 

"No no no no no no no!" Volstagg insisted, resting his head wearily in his hands, a great sigh heaving through his mound of red hair. "It goes like this." Darcy watched intently as the giant finished a mug of ale the size of her face, let out a giant belch, and slammed his glass down on the ground. "Another!" he called, bellowing it at the top of his lungs. The entire tavern erupted in laughter, including Darcy, though she was feeling more and more out of her element.

 

Thor and Jane had recently went MIA at the little gathering down at the tavern with his friends. Bad Ass Lady, also known as Sif had also left shortly thereafter, leaving only Thor's two friends Volstagg and Fandral to keep her from feeling like a complete alien. That word had never been more appropriate. Volstagg was a great, big, hulking teddy bear of a man, though she wouldn't want to meet the business end of his axe, she was pretty sure. Fandral was painfully handsome in a swashbuckling romance and danger around the corner kind of way. He had remembered her well from his visit to Midgard. He had kissed her hand and sent tingling to the lady bits, to put it crudely. In spite of feeling totally awkward with Jane ditching her -for which she would give the scientist absolute hell later- they were fun. She was sixty percent sure Fandral was still flirting with her, but she got the feeling that was just kind of his general aura. She had been on the receiving end of a fair amount of dirty looks that evening from random women, and she was pretty sure all the attention she was getting from Robin Hood was the reason.

 

"Our guest is not quite as oafish as you are, my friend," Fandral chided. "Though you really can't let him outdo you that way," he said to Darcy, whispering lowly. Darcy wouldn't even deny it later, she giggled like a preteen.

 

"Jane said I was to be on my best behavior," she hiccuped, "and that I shouldn't do anything to get us thrown out on our first day." She covered her mouth as another hiccup escaped her.

 

"Pish posh!" Fandral exclaimed. "A fair lady such as you could never do anything do any like that."

 

"Pffft," was Darcy's only reply as she grasped the handle of her drink, which was considerably smaller than Volstagg's. At least they gave her that mercy.

 

"Now, go!" Fandral shouted. She could hear he and Vostagg cheering her on as she tilted her head back, draining her ale as much as she could. The drink was bitter and strong. Really strong. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying her best not to spill anything down the side of her mouth as her companion's cheers got louder the closer she got to the bottom. With triumphant glee, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to pass the burning sensation down her throat. Beer didn't do that back home. She could feel the gurgling in her stomach as the gas bubbles floated around, and she force out the most unladylike burp she could muster before slamming her glass to the ground, hearing it shatter into pieces.

 

"Another!" she yelled as loud as she could, eyes still squeezed tightly. When she opened them, Volstagg had his arm around her shoulder, yanking her back and forth in some form of encouragement, and she didn't have the heart to tell him it was making her really dizzy.

"Much better!" Volstagg said, laughter in his voice. "Midgardians have such spirit. I've always said that."

"Some of the finest bards I've ever heard were from Midgard," Fandral commented, "the last time I was there." Volstagg narrowed his eyes.

 

"Yes," the redhead warrior agreed. "I recall you knowing many bards quite intimately the last time you were on Midgard." Darcy giggled as she watched a petulant scowl form on Fandral's face as he glared at his friend. Darcy giggled again.

 

* * *

 

"Well, it sounds like they are having a fun enough time without us," Jane said, a smirk on her lips as she and Thor looked down over the city from the quiet balcony of the tavern. The night cast a blue haze on the streets, contrasting with the orange glow coming from the windows. "Hopefully they won't be too mad at us for coming up here?" Thor smiled.

"It's strange to think," he said, "I once drew the most joy out of life in these halls." Jane watched as Thor looked out over the night sky. He was quieter. "The six of us once wiled away our hours here: Loki, Sif, the Warriors three, and me. And then of course mother would scold us for causing whatever trouble we had gotten into that night. I once thought those days would never end." Jane watched a dry chuckle escape him as he looked down at her hand in his. "What a fool I was. Yet, I still find myself longing for those days." Jane squeezed his hand, not sure of what to say to him.

 

"I'm glad I got to meet both of them," she offered quietly. "I only knew Frigga a little bit, and I know she was amazing. I can't imagine what it must have been like to grow up with her." Thor chuckled.

 

"I used to think it was exhausting," he replied sadly. "The way she always required thinking about everything. How everything I did affected everyone else. Especially Loki." He quieted down again, playing with Jane's thin fingers in his own. Jane looked out over the city. Even with the damage it had taken from the attack of Malekith, it was still the most wondrous place she had ever imagined. The gloom that had been settling over Thor seemed to be darkening with his return home.

 

"He saved my life," she said quietly. She hesitated when Thor looked at her. "Twice."

"Yes he did," Thor said. "But is that enough to answer for the pain that he caused?"

"It doesn't really matter now," she replied. "But, it was enough for you to have that glimmer that there was still something left of him in there before he died, wasn't it?" Thor smiled.

"Not that I ever would have told him," he said dryly.

 

"It's okay to miss him," Jane said. "He answered for what he did, and he died a hero."

 

"Is it right for me to wish him still alive, even if he was still a villain?" he asked. Jane remained silent, squeezing his hand again.

 


	4. Chapter 4

One week in Asgard had flown by, and Darcy felt like she had just arrived.

 

            If she was worried about burdening Jane or Thor by tagging along -which she wasn’t- her fears would have been alleviated the first day, as Jane and Thor pretty much remained unseen for the majority of the day, leaving Darcy to her own devices. Not that she needed much encouragement. Between the breathtaking scenery and unbelievable library that Thor had _so_ not been overselling, staying occupied had been the least of Darcy’s concerns.

 

            Burying herself in the library had been the first on the list of things to do. Within a sea of Hogwartsesque moving pages, the sheer amount of knowledge contained within the books practically made her shiver with excitement every time she went in. The only sadness was knowing that she would never have enough time to go through a microscopic fraction of what was there. It was strange that in all the realms, save Midgard, they still lived in monarchical societies, and had for millennia. The implications of why the planet with the shortest lifespan made pushes toward democracy could have made and excellent dissertation if a) she was still in college or b) her professors believe she had actually visited another planet.

 

When she could feel her skin crawling from sitting still for too long, Darcy found herself venturing out of doors, still strangely Thorless and Janeless, for the most part. She occasionally saw a few guards taking note of her activities, but mostly ignored her. That did not stop Darcy from smiling and waving at them when she caught them staring at her in the most overt fashion she could manage. They were rarely amused.

 

Volstagg and Fandral became Darcy’s occasional hosts and only real companions, as Thor’s preoccupation with Jane had left quite the vacuum in their schedules as well. After the first few days, Fandral seemed to have abandoned his attempts at flirting with her, as Volstagg made it rather clear -usually by humiliation of the Robin Hood doppleganger- that it wasn’t happening on his watch. Not that she wasn’t incredibly flattered, and not that Fandral didn’t set the tinglies down in the lower regions, but she was pretty sure any sort of messing around with one of Thor’s friends did not quite qualify as ‘good behavior’ in Jane’s book. Plus, considering how quickly he had women hanging off of him again at the tavern in the evening, he didn’t really seem too upset at her not-yet-voiced-rejection.

 

It was a little disappointing, but Sif kept her distance whenever Dary was around. The former intern sincerely hoped it wasn’t for being too creeped out, as she was well aware of her own inability to contain her unabashed awe when the warrioress was around. She was the most beautiful, badass woman Darcy had ever seen. Sif was polite enough to her, but she didn’t really seem to take to hanging out the way Volstagg and Fandral did. Darcy was actually fairly certain the two men had taken her up like a lost puppy, actually. It was nice, and it was actually kind of cool to be somewhat interesting to anyone in Asgard, but Darcy was hopeful to have at least one decent conversation with the woman warrior, one day.

 

 

* * *

 

 

            “I think we’ve been replaced,” Volstagg said, gnawing on a turkey leg from a bird that must have been the sized of a dog, in Darcy’s opinion. The banquet table in the dining hall was, as always, overflowing with food, and was where she usually picked off her lunch. Fandral had come to retrieve her from the library rather early that afternoon. It must have been a particularly boring day for the two aimless warriors.

 

            “Don’t be jealous, old chap,” Fandral said, tossing up a grape and catching it in his mouth. “If I had to choose your hairy countenance over the Lady Jane’s face, I cannot say I would choose differently from out besotted friend.” Darcy smirked to herself as she picked at her own plate, which seemed quite modest compared to Volstagg, and she never thought what she ate would look modest to anyone. “I say, dear Darcy,” Fandral commented. “I never knew any one person could read so much. What book is that?”

 

            “It’s kind of sad I never felt like researching this much when I was actually getting graded on it,” Darcy said. “It’s called _The Peoples of Alfheim_.”

 

            “Alfheim!” Fandral exclaimed. “What a marvelous land! One of the few places where I have more drinking stories than battle stories.”

 

            “I think you _always_ have more drinking stories than battle stories, Fandral,” Volstagg said. Darcy tried to hide the smirking, Honestly, watching the two of them bicker was better than any show.

 

            “According this Odin appointed Frey to rule over Alfheim?” Darcy asked.

 

            “Yes, very good!” Fandral said pleased. “Our fair queen’s-” Fandral’s face fell, as did Darcy’s when she remembered that the queen was Thor’s mother who had been murdered during Malekith’s attack. She cringed inwardly, suddenly wishing she had not asked anything. “Our late queen’s father ruled over Alfheim for many centuries. He has long since passed. The light elves are more tribal, nowadays, as Asgard did not see a purpose in appointing a new king. They are a peaceful people.” Darcy nodded, pushing away her plate, a few pregnant moments of silence passed about as subtly as a Thor in a china shop. Over the past week, a few proddings from her would launch them into full tales of their previous exploits -which was probably the reason they took to her company so well. She was fairly certain of that. It rarely happened in Darcy’s short life, but she pretty much just wanted to crawl into a dark hole at that point.

 

“I think I’m done reading for today,” she said quietly, offering a small uncomfortable smile as she wiped her hand carefully to avoid damaging her book. “I’m going to go return this to the library. I think I could use some fresh air.” They nodded politely, neither one of them having much to say. The need to crawl into a hole was increasing by the second.

 

            It had only taken the week, but she had finally managed to find the library without getting turned around. She wasn’t sure if she would ever get used to how gold everything was, and the halls sometimes all seemed the same, with everything being equally beautiful. She sighed heavily, determined to never bring up anything remotely awkward again, as she opened large library doors.

 

            It was quick as a flash, but she saw someone sitting in one of the study chairs, long legs propped up on one of the tables. She gasped, her eyes squeezing shut in surprise, not expecting to see anyone in the library that had been vacant for the entire week she had been there. She sighed heavily when she saw it was only a palace guard, lounging away on duty. He stood at attention quickly as Darcy failed to contain her laughter, grateful for the release from her recent social blunder.

 

            “At ease soldier,” she said, still smiling. “Just returning a book.” She went to spot where she knew she had taken her particular volume, removing her coffee house bookmark she has put there to keep her spot. She wasn’t sure what she really expect of the guard caught slacking, maybe to make a quick exit or maybe go on ignoring her completely. Standing there and staring at her certainly wasn’t one if her expectations. As she filed away her book, the feeling of eyes boring into her continued. She turned back to the guard, who continued to stare at her like she was made of peanut butter or something. She spotted her backpack and notebooks on the desk over near Sir Creeps-a-Lot, and inwardly groaned, forgetting she had left it when Fandral had come to retrieve her -though she doubted that would be happening again.

 

            Straightening up, she turned around to head towards her backpack, with the guard _still_ staring her down. A rise of indignation at how uncomfortable he was making her struck a nerve somewhere in the anatomy of Darcy Lewis.

 

            “Do you have a problem?” she questioned, pausing at packing her bag up.

 

            “Problem?” the guard said, a cultured tone running off of his lips. He appeared about middled aged, so he must have been like a few millennia old, at least.

 

            “What are you staring at?”

 

            “A mortal.” Darcy wished she could have said she resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but she didn’t, as she decided to ignore him from then on, tying up the strings of her bag.

 

            “Typical,” she muttered slinging her bag over her shoulder, not trying to hide her comment as she stalked out of the library.

 

            “Does it bother you?” she heard behind her. She paused, turning back to look at him.

 

            “Yes. Rude strangers bother me.” He _laughed_. And Darcy’s sudden ire grew exponentially as he crossed his arms in front of him. She didn’t know how to explain it, but the grin on his face did not seem to match the age on his face, but that didn’t make any sense.

 

            “I must pale in comparison to the knowledge of the burden you put on your _friends_.” He drew his last word out nastily. Darcy frowned. “To follow around the God of Thunder and the Woman of Science and be so hopelessly common next to them.” Darcy froze, his words striking that spot on her spine that always hurt whenever she bent over during the time of the month. She stiffened.

 

            “Thankfully, I’m not mad at the world because I’m a couple thousand years old and walk around watching nothing happen all day for a living. I’m quite content with who I am, and I don’t need to punish other people because I’m not. Get a life.” With a petulant scowl, Darcy spun on her heel, not exactly sure of the wisdom of talking to someone of Asgard like she just had. But she had caught the guy dodging his guard duty, so he couldn’t be terribly mouthy about it.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

            “Maybe I should go home,” Darcy said quietly that night at dinner. It was hard to hear her, as the tavern’s normal sound level all but drowned out her small suggestion. Thor and Jane were actually with her that night, which was a rarity. Jane frowned.

 

            “Homesick already?” she asked. Darcy shrugged.

 

            “I just don’t want to bother you guys. I love reading and seeing everything, but maybe I just don’t really need to be here. It was Thor’s turned to frown as he struggled to finish the bit of chicken in his mouth.

 

            “Darcy, you have been up at dawn every day to pursue your research,” Thor said. “And you’ve been perfectly content without our assistance. Has something happened?” Darcy shook her head, leaning back.

 

            “No, no, I just. I don’t want to impose on you guys.” Jane’s frowned deepened as she looked at Thor, who continued to keep his eyes trained on Darcy.

 

            “You were perfectly fine this morning,” Thor said. Darcy pursed her lips together in silent thought, but said nothing. “You are welcome to leave, Darcy, you are not a prisoner, but this feels very sudden. Are you certain nothing has happened? No one has upset you?” For the first time, Darcy met Thor’s eyes, chewing on the corner of her mouth. “If someone has troubled you, my friend, they shall answer to me.” Darcy smiled, the fierce loyalty in Thor’s eyes, even on just her account, shining out of their blue depths. She looked at Jane. She had that quiet sort of discontent in her countenance. Darcy felt like an infantile tool, but it did feel kind of nice that they wanted her to stay.

 

            “You are right, I’m sorry. I’m having the time of my life, I just,” she shrugged again. “It’s nothing.” Their hulking host -not to be confused with the actual Hulk- visibly relaxed, though still continued to stare at her more intensely than she cared for.

 

            “You are certain nothing has upset you?” he asked. She shook her head.

 

            “It’s nothing. Just me being self-conscious. Sorry.” It was Jane’s turn to frown.

 

            “You’ve never been self-conscious a day in your life.” Darcy shrugged again, taking a drink of the wine in front of her.

 

            “So, any interesting science-y stuff?” Darcy asked. “It’s weird not logging your every move for a whole week. I don’t know what to do with myself.” Jane immediately beamed, the uncomfortable exchange finally ending, to Darcy’s relief.

 

            “Where to even _begin_ ,” Jane began. “This world is a _disc_ world. A _disc_. It’s not round, and it doesn’t revolve around a star.”

 

            “I was wondering about that,” Darcy said, leaning back. “I thought the waterfall off of the edge of the world was kind of impractical.” Thor gave a short laugh, taking a drink of his giant ale in his hand. “What happens if you go off the edge.” Darcy took a bit of what looked like a potato as Thor’s mirthful countenance slowly sobered.

 

            “You will die,” Thor said quietly. “You will fall into the abyss of the universe.” Darcy gulped. She didn’t know what she had said wrong this time, but she was just batting a million today.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

            It was a quiet night. Thor liked it.

 

            The moon just barely allowed a blue blanket of light to coat the buildings of his mother’s gardens as his world began to quiet down. He looked up toward the wing where he knew Jane was staying, smiling at seeing a small light on. Pouring over her notes from that day, no doubt. He smiled, glad to see she was enraptured with studying his world as he had known she would be. He found a peace in wandering his mother’s garden in the night air, the fragrances of the flowers too sweet, it threatened to overwhelm him. He was grateful they were still being tended, though he found himself surprised they looked so well. It had been Frigga’s magic that had made her plants so astonishing. Even months after her death, her blooms looked as vibrant as always. It somehow made him both sad and happy.

 

            The distant call of the evening raven called out as he silently walked the paths through the gardens. All was silent. Even though he knew no guards were in the gardens this time of night, as they were locked from all but the palace, he could not help the feeling he was being observed. The more sentimental side of him liked to think it was his mother watching over her garden, but his mother’s gaze had never set his hairs on end. He stood silently, looking around his shoulders for the source of his imagined scrutiny. Suddenly, it seemed as if a blindfold had been removed from his eyes as the familiarity locked into place in his mind. He could feel a presence he would know if it hit him in the face, and it usually did. His breath caught in his chest as he felt a swelling in his eyes.

 

            “No more illusions, Loki,” he said quietly. A sinister laughter, one he would know anywhere, echoed in his mind until it came to a point behind him.

 

            “Now you see me, brother?” Thor heard behind him. He whipped around, seeing his green-clad counterpart leaning lazily against one of his mother’s willow trees. The so called God of Thunder could feel a squeezing in his chest, and he thought his heart would beat out of his body. “It took you long enough. Distracted, lately?” Loki tossed a glance up to the lighted window where Jane would soon be ending her evening.

 

            “You’re-” Thor paused, unable to find his words.

 

            “Oh, come on, Thor. Shall we skip the boring trivialities and be done with it?” Loki as standing up straight, beginning his pace back and forth. “Yes, yes. I am alive. I have been living quite contently without you while you were whiling away your hours doing Valhalla knows what with a bunch of mortal pets. And here you are, back home once more to play house with your little-”

 

            “Stop it!” Thor said, his face twisted in pain as he stared at his brother, who did obey him to his great relief. Loki lifted his chin, crossing his arms behind his back, waiting for Thor finally say anything. “All this time, we have been mourning your death… and you have just been _here_?” Loki brought a single finger to his lips, motioning for him to be quiet.

 

            “No one can see or hear me,” he whispered dramatically. “Wouldn’t want anyone to think you’d gone as mad as Odin, now would we?” Thor sobered, a scowl covering is features of his nonchalant brother.

 

            “So father has not been losing himself,” Thor said. “Him not remembering us speaking. That was _you_?” The irritation in Thor’s voice grew, though he was making a considerable effort to remain hushed. Loki cackled, walking over to one of the benches, sitting down casually and spreading his arms over the back of the bench.

 

            “Just a bit of fun,” Loki confirmed casually. “I’ve been gone or imprisoned for three years. I have time to make up for.” Thor gritted his teeth.

 

            “And you let us believe you dead?” Thor questioned. “This entire time. _Again_.”

 

            “And what else should I have done?” Loki bit, his patience failing him as he sat up straight. “Come running home to grieve with you and Odin? I’m sure you would have welcomed me with open arms,” he said mockingly, spreading his long arms wide. “And a prison cell.”

 

            “I would have-” Thor’s words failed him, sitting down on the bench across from him, resting his head in his hands once more. Loki sighed, leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees, staring at his brother.

 

            “I no more wish to go back to prison than you wish for me to be in your life. I have been perfectly content living as a shadow on Asgard, I am quite used to it. I only wish to remain out of a cell. Forget what you know, and I will work to make it easier for you.” Thor chuckled humorlessly.

 

            “You can’t stay ignored for long,” Thor said. “What have you even been doing these months.” Loki leaned back, resting his arms on the back of the bench once more, cautious of the conversational mood that was being set.

 

            “Soul searching,” he said sarcastically. Thor scoffed, leaning back up and resting against the bench himself.

 

            “Caring for mother’s garden, I see,” Thor said. Loki’s eyes grew cold for a moment before resuming a playful humor.

 

            “Apparently, have one little attack on the palace, and suddenly the conditions of the gardens is no longer a priority,” he said. “I’ve done as I said. I’ve remained out of trouble. I’ve slept outside of the castle. I merely come to the palace for the occasional distraction.”

 

            “Distraction?” Thor questioned. staring at his Loki. The trickster made no reply. “What distraction? The only place you’ve ever spent in your free time is your room or the library, and Darcy has been-” He paused, narrowing his eyes at his brother, who made no response. “You’ve spoken to Darcy.”

 

            “The little chatterbox you brought with you from Midgard? Yes, I’ve seen the creature. I’ve barely been able to read at all, thanks to her.”

 

            “You said something to her today, did you not? Something cruel. She was not herself.”

 

            “A blessing then,” he snapped. “Why you would bring a mortal with absolutely nothing to her name to Asgard is beyond me. Why, did she come crying to Thor to protect her?” He scoffed. “And I thought you’d have your hands full with the one who gets herself possessed by the Aether.” Thor scowled, his patience wearing thin, his emotions reeling knowing that his brother was both alive and insufferable as always.

 

            “Listen well brother,” Thor said, standing to his feet as Loki mimicked the motion, muscles strained in readiness for whatever Thor would do. “You have helped save the world you once endangered, and for that, I will consider us even, for now.”

 

            “For now?” Loki questioned, an impertinent grin on his face. “As in, I will wake to find you at the door with the hounds to escort be back to the dungeon when you get the notion?”

 

            “As in I know you, and you will not be able to stay out of trouble for long,” Thor replied calmly. “And I will come after you when you cross me.” Loki stiffened. “So scurry back into whatever hole you are hiding, while you can manage it.” With ferocity meeting defiance, Thor glowered darkly, stalking out of the garden, his blood practically boiling. “Oh,” Thor said, turning around. “Think what you will about Darcy or Jane. If I hear even a whisper that you have spoken to either of them, I will throw you back in that cell before you have finished your sentence.”


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm pretty sure this is number three on the list of 'Worst Ideas Ever,'" Darcy said, clinging for dear life to the reins of the gigantic horse on which she was currently mounted. She was met with a light-hearted chuckle from Fandral and a deeper one from Volstagg.

"You will be quite safe, Miss Lewis, I assure you," Fandral said. "You cannot spend your entire time studying our books, now can you? You must get out and breath the open air, smell the flowers, etcetera etcetera." He stretched his arms dramatically, taking a deep breath as if to prove his point. Darcy smiled nervously. Week Two, and the two Asgardians were growing restless in Thor's preoccupation with Jane. Darcy's full-time job now, she was fairly sure, was to keep Fandral and Volstagg entertained, who had not tired of teaching her all about Asgard. Today's lesson: horseback riding. Darcy was fairly certain there would be no small amount of tears by the time the day was out. In spite of the total awesome factor that she was getting taught  _anything_  by Thor's mighty warrior pals, she stared down at the ground, which was far too distant from her feet, trembling nervously.

"I tend not to fall and break my neck in the library," Darcy said, looking down at Fandral as he checked her saddle. "Isn't there supposed to be something here I can hold?" Darcy motioned in the area between her knees.

"We are not herding cattle, Miss Lewis," Fandral said laughing, mounting his own stallion with a grace that made Darcy curl her nose in disgust.  _Stupid beautiful man that looked awesome doing everything_. Volstagg practically throwing her up on her own mare came to mind as Fandral flicked his hair back, his hair falling perfectly into place.

"You will be fine Darcy," Sif assured her, with a small smile of encouragement. Darcy looked over at the warrioress, flattered that she had even said two words to her. Sif rarely joined the excursions with Fandral, Volstagg and her, but Sif had volunteered to help her today, stating that Fandral and Volstagg wouldn't know how teach a woman to ride if their lives depended on it. Darcy had laughed before she could stop herself as Fandral and Volstagg looked on in different types of horror. The goddess had tossed a clever look to Darcy, and the former intern was ninety-seven percent sure they had shared a bonding moment. Sif was just the  _coolest_. "Remember your posture. If you panic, your horse will sense it. Confidence is key." Darcy straightened up, gripping her reins tightly, forcing herself to take a deep breath. "Come on now."

Sif went first, taking off in a smooth stride, with Fandral and Volstagg soon after. Darcy looked down at her own mare, who remained motionless. She jiggled the reins a bit. Still nothing. She lightly scooted back and forth in her saddle. Nothing.

"Guys, I think mine is broken," she called out to the trio ahead. "New batteries?"

"Lightly bring your heels back to touch the horse's side," Sif called back, turning around to face her from several yards away. "Gently." Her dark pony tail flipped around, and Darcy pouted in envy at how badass she looked. Sif had given her a pair of boots to ride in, and  _those_  looked pretty awesome. Her jeans and sweater: less so. She looked down at her horse. With all of the practiced precision she had in her, which was little, she carefully extended her legs, giving her horse the lightest of spurring.

"Wah!" she cried as the horse took off toward the warriors.

* * *

"You two seem to be smitten with your new pet," Sif said to Volstagg. The giant laughed heartily as the echoes of Fandral attempting to teach the young mortal to fence echoed throughout the courtyard.

"Aye, she's a stout young lass," Volstagg said. "I think  _Fandral_  might be bit smitten, as you say. But then again, he is smitten with anyone who thinks every word he says is entertaining. I think it does him well to have someone who hasn't tired of his stories of himself." He chuckled again. "She is wise to him though, like a good lass should be." Sif smirked, a hint of sadness touching her eyes as she leaned over to rest on the stone balustrade. She watched as Fandral corrected the young woman's nigh hopeless form.

"It seems to be a new fashion to fall in love with mortals," she replied softly. Volstagg tossed her a sympathetic glance that she did not notice, resting a heavy hand on her shoulder for a moment.

"She is quite star-struck with you, my lady warrior," Volstagg said kindly. "What more could a young woman aspire to be than the Fearsome Lady Sif?" The dark haired-beauty smiled.

"The young one is amusing," she replied. "And sweet, in a belligerent and uncomfortable sort of way. She asked to play with my hair. I am not certain if this is an acceptable Midgardian custom or not."

"And Miss Foster?" Volstagg questioned. Sif shrugged.

"She and Thor are hardly around us, so there is hardly a chance to form an opinion of her. I doubt you and Fandral would be carrying on with the young one if it were not so." Volstagg shrugged, joining his friend in resting against the stone.

"They are in love. And have been parted for years. I am willing to give them some latitude," he said, a fond chuckle escaping him. Sif nodded, saying nothing. "In the meantime, her friend is as abandoned as we are, and in a very strange world. It seems a shame for her to have to experience it alone."

"I suppose you are right," she said.

" _Whoop_!" They heard from down below as Darcy spun too quickly, landing squarely on her backside as she and Fandral laughed at her folly. Sif smiled down.

"I never dreamed Odin would allow mortals here," she said. "But I suppose it… isn't so very strange, now that is has happened."

"Aye, indeed," Volstagg said. "Midgard has changed a great deal since we last had many dealings with it. I supposed when one of our own goes down to try to take control of it, we are bound to invite curiosity." Sif's eyes hardened.

"Loki is  _not_  one of us," she said. Volstagg tossed a look over to the lady warrior, who remained perfectly still.

"Well, he is not around anymore to not be one of us," Volstagg corrected. "He fought at our side for centuries," Volstagg said. "It matters not what blood was in his veins, he was Thor's brother, and was our friend, once."

"I don't recall you being so charitable to him before he left," Sif said, raising up from the balustrade to lean back on it, as Volstagg did the same.

"Just because he was one of us doesn't mean I wasn't ready to swat the little devil if he tried anything," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "But it would have made me sad."

* * *

"Don't you think we should tell Darcy?" Jane asked, staring up into the endless stars, resting quietly in the crook of Thor's arm. "I mean, I get you not wanting to tell anyone else, but she could be in danger, couldn't she?"

"She is not in danger. Loki will not harm her," Thor said. "He is simply irritated she is occupying the library. It is his favorite place in the palace. She just walked into the wrong place at the wrong time, I imagine." He paused, wrapping his hand around Jane's. "It wasn't her first experience with inopportune timing, and I doubt it will be her last. There is no reason to alarm her. We have one more week here, and I would like not to spoil it for her." Jane nodded.

"One more week," Jane said, resting her head against his chest. "I'm not sure if I'll be more sad to leave than I am happy to be going home. Asgard is just... unimaginable. But you knew that already." Thor smiled.

"It is only unimaginable if you are not here with me," he said. In spite of every attempt she made, Jane could not stop the incredibly wide smile from breaking through as she tried to hide it against his shirt.

"That was a good one," she said. She could hear his chest rumble beneath her ear in laughter, and she thought she would dissolve into a Jane-shape puddle right there on the ground.

"I did well?" he questioned, still trying to contain his chuckling. She nodded against him, sighing when she felt his large hand rest on her back as she looked up at the sky. The Lunar Gardens were incredible. It always appeared night, even at high noon. She had spent no small amount of time reading about how this occurred. At the moment though, it was actually night, and a peaceful one at that.

* * *

"Do you ever sleep?"

"No."

"Why don't you need to sleep?"

"The same reason you do not need to walk on your hands."

"Why would I walk on my hands?"

"That is how I view the need to sleep." Darcy frowned thoughtfully, peaking over the edge of the Observatory. She doubted laying on her stomach on the floor of the place was typically how people chose to observe the universe, but she also doubted they had as intense a fear of heights as she did. She couldn't even see the bottom of this fall, that was for sure. Heimdall, who stood stoically over her, was never distracted from his watch as she curiously inspected the cosmos and had patiently answered her inquiries for the past hour.

"So, are there any other worlds out there besides the nine?"

"Have you need of more?"

"I don't really  _need_  more than one," she said, crossing and uncrossing her ankles absently. "I was just curious."

"There is no question that there is more in the universe than Yggdrasil. But if there is anything too far for me to see, then I doubt it is yet a threat for Asgard."

"Looking down there makes me feel a little sick."

"I suppose I would be wasting effort in advising you to discontinue your gaze," Heimdall replied evenly.

"Yeah. I still want to look. It's still kind of cool."

"If you insist."

"Why are your stars moving?"

"The observatory makes many things easier to see, even for mortal eyes," Heimdall replied. "Including that paths of the stars. They  _are_  moving more quickly than usual, I will grant you. It feels as if there is something at work tonight."

"Is that bad?" Darcy questioned.

"Not necessarily. Sometimes The Tree simply needs to align itself."

* * *

"How are you doing, though?" Jane asked after several moments of silence, raising up to look him in the face. His mirth slowly faded. "With Loki being alive? What will you do? Are you still not going to tell Odin?" Thor's blue eyes clouded, his heavy brows coming together with the heaviness that had been weighing on him all week.

"I am probably wrong for not telling him," Thor replied, "but I do not know how he will react. I would like to think he would be happy to know Loki is alive, but," he paused. "I do not want to find out otherwise. Nor would I wish that on Loki, for he would surely hear."

"Where is he then?" Jane asked. "He is just... invisible?" Thor smiled sadly.

"If there is anything my brother knows how to do, it is to remain undetected," Thor said. "Either by illusion of not being there or appearing to be someone else. I can only imagine I found him in the gardens because, at least in some way, he wanted to be found." Jane was quiet, letting the song of the ravens blanket a comfortable silence between them.

"What do you think he wants?" A humorless chuckle escaped Thor.

"What Loki wants? There is no telling, I am afraid. But for now, I think he is content to grieve in peace. I'll not deny him that. After that, we will see if he is able to stay on the path he started in Svartalfheim."

Darcy looked behind her when she heard the movement of the guardian behind her. The golden-clad giant moved slowly off of the central pedestal of the room, getting more and more intimidating as Darcy looked up at him from her spot on the ground at the edge of the Observatory.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Miss Lewis, I think it might be best if you returned to the city," he said, albeit kindly. "I am unsure of the disturbance, this evening. You may continue your inspection of the universe tomorrow, if all is well." Darcy nodded, inching back away from the edge on her stomach, slowing standing

"If you say so, big guy," she replied, grinning up at the nigh impassive Asgardian. He nodded to her politely as she slowly made her way out of the Observatory.

Darcy sighed as she looked down the long expanse of the rainbow bridge. Fandral had escorted her down to the Bi-Frost and said he would retrieve her when he left the tavern for the evening, but that probably wouldn't be for several more hours. For the first time in Asgard, she missed cell phone technology as she started her hike back to the city. She did have to admit that if she were going to be walking, a Rainbow Bridge was by far the coolest thing to walk on.

It took her about an hour to reach anywhere close to the end of the bridge. She smiled at the eerie glow of the tiny dots of light, and she looked forward to curling up in her bed to escape the chill in the air. She found herself stopping when a foreign sound just barely touched the edge of her attention. It almost sounded like one of those really obnoxious planes cutting through the sky above, but she knew that wasn't possible. Turning briefly back to the Observatory, nothing seemed out of place, except the sound kept getting louder.

It stopped.

* * *

Loki sighed heavily as he walked the streets of home, ever a stranger to those passing him by. A middleclassmen was his guise this evening, the most easily unnoticed at this time of night. The stars were acting strangely that evening. He could feel the energy in the night like a static sparking under his skin. The Observatory was out of the question: even  _he_  was not willing to risk such close quarters with Heimdall. No matter how confident he could go unnoticed, it was a needless risk he was not willing to take. Thor finding him had been enough folly on his part, for a time. Still, the ocean was as close as he could get to a decent view of the stars without provoking Asgard's guardian, and so he settled for the roof of a small boat housing on one of the piers. Slowly, he let his form fall back to his natural one, the hum of magic of the illusion around him finally quieting. He did not want to hide. Not tonight.

When he had awoken in Midgard after his  _ordeal_ , so to speak, he had sworn he never wanted to see the stars again. Knowing Frigga had been lifted up to them, now occupying her own small space in Valhalla, his heart had perhaps changed on the matter. He looked down at the small orb of light that appeared in his hands. His own vigil he had never been able to lift to the skies when she had been honored in her death. Against all his wishes, a tear fell from his eye, slowly sliding down his pale cheek as whispered a prayer to her. Placing a gentle kiss to the side of the orb, he let go of the softly glowing light, watching it make it's way up to join the stars. He wished he could have seen her. Just once more. Once more without spitting his venom about the injustice against him, without denying her out of his own stubbornness.

She had known he loved her, but watching his small light float up to meet her, it did not seem like enough. All of his planning for his own greatness seemed like ashes blowing in the wind. Even when he had returned from Svartalfheim, and he had sat upon the throne of Asgard, a mere spell from him and Odin could have been imprisoned or worse, and all that he wanted could have been his, he had only been able to see her face, and suddenly it had all meant nothing. The throne, Asgard, Earth, none of it could ever be enough for him. He knew that now. At least Frigga would have been happy to know he had finally turned his own calculating gaze on himself. Sadly, he did not care very much for what he had seen, and so had abandoned the exercise. He had hoped to find solace in the familiarity of his own home, but sometime between letting go of Odin's spear and that moment, it seemed a giant hole of longing had opened inside him that would soon devour him from the inside. Perhaps it would be better if he just let it happen, he imagined. Either that, or The One would soon find him. Then he would no longer need to concern himself with what to do with his seemingly purposeless existence. Perhaps Odin should have left him to die on the rock to begin with.

Loki could feel something at work as the hair on his skin tickled. He frowned as a horrible grinding noise suddenly filled his ears, as if the sky itself would fall in on him. It was then that he saw it: the faintest of stars in the sky falling toward Asgard. Loki frowned again, standing to his feet on the roof of boat housing. Falling stars never made such ruckus. The sound finally stopped, though the light continued to streak through the clouds. That was odd. Falling stars were most always fleeting, but it appeared something was actually going to land on the ground. He looked down to see it's intended trajectory, only to find that it seemed to be headed for the Rainbow Bridge. He also could not help but notice the small figure of the Midgardian woman he had seen in the library. He watched as she looked up into the sky, seeing the same phenomena he was. He watched as she shifted from a stare to a run in the opposite direction once she realized it was headed her way. Loki chuckled. At least she had some semblance of sense.

Still, whatever was rocketing toward the bridge was a strange sight, even for him. The former prince of Asgard was unaccustomed to not knowing what to make of things. He narrowed his eyes, trying to discern exactly what it was, but from what he could see, it only appeared to be a strange light speeding up on its path toward landing. What was more troublesome was that it was no longer following the straight path it had initially been on, but took on more of a slope. He looked back at the girl who was continuing to run for her life, though she was still hopelessly trapped on the bridge, still quite a distance from the landing in town. He has thought she would be quite out of harm's way as she started running quite early, but with the change in direction from whatever was headed their way, he was not sure. He sighed, rolling his eyes a bit. Apparently he was in the business of saving mortals now. The child might be a bit annoying, but sitting idly back while she was killed by some mystery object, for some horrifying reason, made him uncomfortable. He  _did_  hope Thor was not rubbing off on him.

Quickly and gracefully, Loki hopped down off the roof of the boat house, making his way over to the bridge. He could see Darcy -he was quite sure that was her name- running as quickly as her mortal legs could carry her towards him, though he was sure she had not seen him yet. Whatever the light was, it was closing in on her, and it was becoming more and more like it was actually  _chasing_  her. He ran forward, closing the gap between them. As he drew closer and could see her eyes land on him, recognition lighted in her face as she slowed her run. It almost felt as if time slowed with her as recognition shifted to terror in her blue eyes. For a moment, she looked back and forth between him and whatever was chasing her, as if unsure of what was worse. He frowned as, before he could react, she jumped off the bridge and into the water below. He froze, expecting to feel whatever light that had fallen from the sky to come barreling into him. Instead, it quickly changed direction, following her into the water below.

The trickster quirked his head in confusion, casually letting his long legs carry him to the side of the bridge. The light was gone, and only the still form of the girl was left floating in the water, face down. Loki rolled his eyes once more. If she was dead, it was hardly his fault. Still, not sure if whatever the light had been had actually killed her, he hopped off the bridge, letting his feet keep place on the surface of the water as he walked over to her. Grabbing the back of her now soaking wet thin sweater, he hoisted her up, examining her face as he kept a grip on the back of her sweater, as if she was some sort of disgusting towel he'd rather not get too close. The color in her face was draining. Placing two long fingers just below her jaw, he could still feel a faint pulse beating beneath. She had not been in the water  _terribly_  long, and even Midgardians were not that frail. He gathered she must have taken in some water.

Resolving that if he was going to play the hero, he would go all the way, the trickster pulled the mortal closer, cradling her against him as he placed a hand to her -he couldn't deny noticing- rather generous chest, letting magic flow from his fingertips and into her lungs. He watched her closely, frowning while her face remained still, only long dark strands of her hair stringing across her face. He watched her full lips closely, waiting for any sign of life. Her heart beat faintly below his hand, getting stronger and stronger until he felt her body lurch. A rather unflattering cough escaped her as water spouted forth from her mouth. Loki winced. It was an ugly business, being the hero.


	6. Chapter 6

Thor stared down at the still unconscious Darcy, watching as Jane adjusted the quilt more tightly around her and moving the hair out of her face. It had been two days since they had found her sopping wet on her bedroom floor, completely unresponsive. While what happened to her exactly had eluded them, Heimdall informed Thor that it had involved a light from the sky, Darcy jumping off of the Rainbow Bridge, and his brother.

Thor rubbed his face, trying to rub the weariness out. It had taken no small amount of convincing from Thor that Heimdall not go to Odin with his knowledge of Loki being alive. The Guardian and The Trickster had rarely seen eye to eye on most occasions, but Thor's insistence that it wasn't the right time, and that he would find such a time, had managed to secure Heimdall's silence. Especially considering, according to the Guardian, Loki had played some part in the saving of Darcy from drowning after whatever had fallen from the stars had hit her. That had been surprising, but Thor was far from ungrateful, the little flame of hope in heart threatening to flicker again. He grimaced, hardening his resolve once more. He had hoped against hope that Loki would one day return to him, but he couldn't let himself believe it. Not yet. Whatever had possessed him to lend a hand to his friend, he wasn't sure.

There was but one way to find out.

His heavy steps carried him to his mother's garden, whose blooms were still in excellent condition. He heard nothing but the night birds and insects calling, but he knew better.

"I know you are here," Thor said gruffly. "I wish a word with you."

"Now how can I deny such a polite request as that?" Thor heard behind him. He turned, finding his brother leaning casually against a column, seated on the balustrade surrounding the gardens, a book propped up with his knee. "What is it you wish to discuss?" Thor glowered.

"You know very well why I am here," he said, his temper simmering just below the surface at his brother's flippancy. "Darcy still has not awoken."

"It is hardly a concern of mine," Loki replied, bored, returning his gaze to his book. "I've already spent more than enough of my effort on watching over your little pet while you were off romancing your Lady Fair. Honestly, you would think you would have learned to take better care of your things, brother."

"She is not a  _thing_ ," Thor retorted, trying to keep a handle on his rising tone. Loki finally turned his attention back to the God of Thunder. "Why did you save her, Loki?"

"And have you somehow blaming me for her dying? Interrupting me even more than you already are?"

"Heimdall saw what happened. Why did you let yourself be seen? You've put us both in danger if Father-"

"If  _Odin_  discovers I am alive, then I doubt I will be any worse for wear than the fate he had already carried out for me," Loki replied, the book disappearing from his hands as he hopped down. " _You_ , however? The Golden Child hiding a wanted criminal? Tsk tsk."

"You are trying to distract the question," Thor said, finally gaining control of his tone. "Your games will not work. Answer the question."

"Well I  _believe_  you asked two-"

"Why did you save her!" Thor snapped.

"What does it matter?" Loki retorted. "I assure you, I shall not extend the courtesy again if I am going to be prodded about it. I happened to be out at the pier and saw it happen. It doesn't take a saint to not want to watch a woman  _die_  in front of me, monster though I may be." Loki scoffed turning his back on Thor, who crossed his arms tensely in frustration. "I went out to try to stop whatever in the world was chasing after her and when she saw me, she apparently decided jumping into the sea was a better option." A dry, sardonic chuckle escaped the blonde.

"Well I can see you haven't lost your touch, at least," Thor said dryly. Loki narrowed his eyes.

"More the fool was  _she_ ," he continued.

"And you know nothing of the light?"

"What? Do you think I conjured it myself to almost kill her and then saved her for my own amusement?"

"Did you really just ask me that?"

"I have better things to do with my time," Loki said. "And that coming from someone who just spent two years in prison and the last two months quite literally watching grass grow." He gestured to the garden around them.

"Then help me find out what has happened to her," Thor said. Loki frowned, as if not sure he had heard correctly. "I do not want Father to have any more reasons to rant about mortals in Asgard. You are the only one I know who can work the Soul Forge that won't tell him."

"I think I have done enough babysitting for the time being, thank you," Loki retorted, taking a seat on the bench, resting his arms on the backrest. "The girl has a pulse, does she not? She will be fine. Let her sleep it off."

"Brother, please," Thor said, his voice taking on a deathly quietness. Loki paused, looking at him out of the corner of his eye, drumming his fingers on the back of the bench before looking away. "I need your help." Loki sighed heavily.

"What, no threats this time?" Thor shrugged.

"I figured I would try this first." Loki rolled his eyes.

* * *

Sneaking Darcy into the healing rooms was much easier while a member of their party made it look as if they were all chambermaids, one of which was carrying a large stack of blankets rather than an unconscious girl. Jane was rather disconcerted at letting Loki illusion her a different face, but she had grown rather accustomed to a great many odd things in the past several years. She did continue to comfortingly pat the load of blankets, all the same.

"Put her on the table," Loki said, letting the illusions fall from place. "Lock the door." Jane stayed behind to latch the doors shut and pulled the giant rope to light the room while Thor laid the pile of blankets turned unconscious girl on the healing table beneath the Soul Forge, doing his best to arranged her in what he imagined would be a comfortable position for her. Loki busied himself with the dials as the reading mechanisms came buzzing to life above the sleeping form in an intricate pattern of blue matter. "I assume you checked her for any external injuries?"

"I looked when I changed her," Jane said, joining them at the table, staring at the orange frequencies that looked painfully familiar. "She has a bruise over her left side, but that's it." Loki's dark brows furrowed together in concentration as he came to stand at the side of the girl, manipulating the interface easily above her body. He took the opportunity to observe the creature in his peripheral as he examined all that was happening just in front of him with ease. She looked different for some reason. Long, dark lashes laid against her pale skin. Her full, pink lips remained gently closed. It had been quite difficult to really get much of a look at her under her assortment of layers, hats, and spectacles.

Underneath it all, he was begrudged to admit, she was actually quite fetching. For a mortal, he reminded himself. It was also painfully difficult to ignore her nipples pushing against the fabric of the white shift Jane had unwisely chosen for their excursion to the apparently too-cold healing rooms. He had already felt the rather generous bosom of the girl beneath his hand when he had tried to expel the water from her lungs the few days before. It was hardly necessary that they practically stare at him while he was now attempting to heal her. He all but physically shook himself from his train of thought. If dwelling on the features of an unconscious, precocious mortal he had not even officially met was not a sign that it had been entirely too long since he had been with a woman, he did not know what was. Perhaps he could find a new preoccupation with his rather excessive amount of free time. Posing as other men and making their wives think they were being unfaithful had always been fun. Easy, but fun.

"All organs are functioning properly," he stated. "It is her mind that appears to be abnormal." He whisked the image of her whole body away, leaving only her brain floating in a blue image above them.

"Well,  _I_ could have told you that," Jane said in a nervous attempt at humor as she stared wide-eyed at the image. Thor took her hand in his. Loki did not seem to hear, or at least react, as he stared at the image, his green eyes staring intensely at what was before him. Jane watched as his long, elegant fingers rotated and manipulated what looked like her friend's head and shivered. Thor was certain he would do nothing to hurt Darcy, but it was still unnerving watching the sorcerer work so closely to her when she was so helpless, knowing how dangerous those hands were.

"There is another consciousness," Loki finally said. "Whatever came from the sky had some sort of carrier. There are two beings, fighting for control." Jane's face shifted to absolute horror as Thor looked grave indeed.

"A carrier?"

"Not very common, but I have read of it before," Loki said thoughtfully, dismissing the image, leaving only the sleeping Darcy between them. "Some creatures will dismiss their bodies in order to travel from world to world if they haven't enough power to travel with usually possess a body in whatever their destination is." He looked down at the girl. "A mortal would be an easy target. You are young. Your souls are not quite as anchored to your bodies as an Asgardian who has been alive for hundreds or thousands of years."

"How do we get it to leave, then?" Thor asked.

"Try and ask it nicely, I suppose," Loki responded. "Whatever you do, I suggest you do it quickly. If they are fighting for dominance in there, I don't want to think about which one will come out the victor."

"You can do it," Thor said confidently. Loki and Jane simultaneously frowned.

"What?" they both said in unison.

"I know you have the ability to manipulate the mind. You can bring her to the forefront until we figure out how to defeat whatever has infected her."

"Are you  _insane_?" Jane hissed, all but throwing his hand away from her. "You can't have him prancing around in Darcy's  _head."_

"One," Loki said, numbering with his fingers, "I was not going to do it. Two: I do not prance." Jane scowled at him.

" _Need_  I remind you," Jane continued, turning back to Thor, "Of the borderline insane physicist probably building a satellite out of spoons in my living room right now?" Loki frowned until realization dawned on him. He smiled widely, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the table behind him.

"How  _is_  Erik these days," he asked. "You'd think after all the work we did together he would at least send a letter once in a while." Thor glowered, turning back to Jane.

"Whatever is in there could be much worse. If it has been fighting her for two days, we don't know how much time we have."

"Darcy's probably broken its will to live if it's been in her head for two days," Jane said, her hands flailing wildly in frustration. "She'll probably wake up any second."

"Doing a  _marvelous_  job of convincing  _me_  to help, let me tell you," Loki commented, enjoying the strife mounting between the two.

" _Loki_ ," Thor practically grumbled, "I know can enter her dreams, he has done it many times to others."

"Good god, why?" Jane demanded, eyes traveling back and forth between the two of them.

"Oh, the usual," Loki replied. "Mental torture is so much less messy without all of the blood." Thor squeezed his eyes shut as Jane threw an unnamed device at his brother's head that he avoided easily.

"Information extraction, usually," Thor replied, squeezing the bridge of his nose. He finally looked down at Jane who looked more and more horrified by the minute. He placed his two hands on either side of her arms. "He can communicate with people in the unconscious state, which he will  _do_ ," he cast a short meaningful look at Loki, who remained unimpressed, "without harming her. We shall just see what we are dealing with." Jane looked over to the trickster, her brown eyes drawn together in worry.

"I've already said that I wouldn't," Loki said. "I did what I said I would do, now good luck." His stride took him quickly across the room toward the door.

"Loki," Jane said softly. He froze, turning around to face the woman who had called him. "Please," she said softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to jump to the conclusion that you would hurt her. Just-" She tucked her lip in with a gentle quiver, and Loki wanted to sneer at the strings pulling at what was left of his heart. Good lord, he couldn't be serious. "She's just a kid, she's never hurt anyone," she said nervously. "Please help us. And then we can go home, and we won't be bothering you any more." Loki shifted uncomfortably, looking everywhere but at Jane, or his brother for that matter. He cleared his throat, adjusted his coat needlessly, and walked back over to the table where the girl lay.

"I suppose it is no trouble," he said lowly, brushing the long dark hair away from the girl's face. He closed his eyes, magic pouring forth into his fingertips as he brought his fingers to her temples. It took a while. He had not entered a mind on his own power in quite a while. The Scepter had made it exceedingly simple to simply read and control. Creating a projection in the mind was quite a bit more complicated.

" _Darcy_ ," he called with his mind.

" _Darcy."_


	7. Chapter 7

_He was a bit rusty. Loki hadn't navigated a mind in quite some time. He once could go right to the consciousness of the subject wherever it was dwelling at the moment. Considering he was standing in sickeningly pink room absolutely covered in various breeds of stuffed animals, he was going to guess he had started somewhere in the girl's childhood memories. The consciousness could travel any number of places in memories while dreaming, but it did not appear it was here. He looked around, some of the room was fuzzy and out of focus, some items were very clear, as the mortal whose head he occupied only remembered some things so vividly._

_A crash from outside the door caught his attention. Loki frowned, as it was followed by some sort of argument. His long, graceful stride toward the door to the room was interrupted by a slight squeak beneath his boot. He kicked the small stuffed rabbit to the side, annoyed, as he continued to the door. His stride was broken once again as a tiny figure came bursting through the door, the argument outside getting louder for a moment until the tiny girl shut the door behind her, covering her face with her hands as she leaned against it. A tiny sob escaped the small thing with long dark hair and denim overalls. He watched as she finally pulled her hands away from her face, her blue eyes filled with tiny tears as she launched herself over to her bed, curling up as tightly as she could, facing her unbearably pink walls._

_Loki looked away uncomfortably. This quite clearly was not the memory he needed to access. He looked back toward the door, going to leave as the younger edition of his current target jumped off of the bed, coming to grabbed the purple rabbit he had just kicked out of his way. As soon as she had grabbed the thing she returned to her fetal position on her small bed. He was not part of her current consciousness and was not part of this memory, so she clearly could not see him. All the better, he decided, as he straightened, finally exiting through the door._

_Every person had a manifestation of their mind, though very few people ever worked on it consciously, as Loki had. His was a rather labyrinthine library. He was quite proud of it. Anyone trying to break into his mind would find themselves quite lost for a while, usually going down the same aisle time after time without realizing it._

_As Loki looked down the corridor of seemingly endless doors, it seemed Darcy's mind was arranged as some sort of hotel. As he cracked open each door, he could see her memories fractured into snippets of minute relational circumstances rather than something logical like chronological or geographical. The next door had revealed her being lost in the woods at around age eleven. He was clearly on some floor related to fear, the most invasive and most useful memories, in his professional experience. However, it was doubtful that any of the parties who were currently imposing on his good graces would appreciate him digging around all of the girl's worst nightmares, in spite of how fun that may or may not be._

_Though as he first entered the hall, the corridor seemed quite endless. There was, in fact, and end. It took a bit of a walk as he strode casually past door after door, using every bit of self-control he had -which was surprisingly little while unobserved- to avoid peeking into any of the girl's memories. As he finally came to the end of the hallway, he spotted an elevator._ Curious, but useful _, he thought to himself. Of course, it was possible she was in one of these doors that he was passing, he supposed, but he hoped the elevator would help the process along._

_There was one more door just before the end that he decided to investigate briefly, on the off chance she was there. When he opened the door, he saw Darcy of her current age, from what he could tell, and Jane staring at a television in some unassuming little room. He quickly went to close the door until he caught a glimpse of what they were watching._

Him _._

_More specifically, his attack on Earth two years prior. He could hear the Midgardian news reporters scrambling to make sense of the creatures absolutely destroying the city. Loki came up behind Darcy and Jane sitting on the couch clutching each other's hands, both quieter than he has seen any of them. He chuckled looking back toward the television. Unstable footage of the Chitauri intermixed with footage of the so-called Avengers and him dominated against the anchors trying to make sense of it all. He sneered at the Chitauri in combat. Absolutely mindless drones were all they had been. If the army he had been promised had possessed even the smallest instinct of self-preservation, his life might have been quite different. For one, he'd hardly be wasting his time helping his brother rescue this chit of a mortal, 'prancing' around in her head, as Jane put it._

_"Isn't Loki Thor's brother?" Jane questioned worriedly. Loki rolled his eyes. He supposed that blasted title would never leave him._

_"Yup. Giant-Killer-Robot-Sendy-Guy extraordinaire, apparently," Darcy said. Loki raised an eyebrow at the oblivious image of the girl. Ah, yes. She must have been referring to the Destroyer. He hadn't really thought about the two of them being in New Mexico, only that Thor had been. An image of the Destroyer blasting the two of them into ash flashed before his eyes before he blinked it away, uncomfortably. "I hope if he_  does _take over the world, he gets a fashion consultant. Those horns have got to go." Loki scowled at the back of Darcy's head as he came closer to them. Perhaps he should_

 _"Darce, you don't have to joke about_ everything _."_

_"Right, have we met?" Darcy replied, getting up and walking toward the kitchen, pouring two cups of coffee. Loki watched her closely, seeing the worry etched in her features. While seeing her cry as a child was less than pleasant, seeing her nervousness during his assault on earth was a bit more enjoyable._

_"It's okay," Jane said, looking towards Darcy. "Thor is here,_ apparently _._ Tony Stark _is helping him, along with the guys at SHIELD. They are all fighting back."_

_"Yeah, hopefully they can get that gateway closed. Those things are falling like flies, but there doesn't seem to be an end to them." He watched as Darcy walked back over to couch, handing a cup to Jane. Loki watched as the object of his brother's affection put a comforting arm around the shoulders of the younger one. He shouldn't linger, he knew. Her consciousness was not here, and so he was only invading her mind with no cause. If he were another person, he might even be bothered by it. As it was, he was not bothered in the least._

_"I guess I can kiss graduating goodbye," Darcy said in an overtly flippant tone. "Look at NYU. Half of the buildings are wrecked."_

_"You weren't really that happy with your major anyway," Jane replied softly. Darcy laid her head on Jane's shoulder, both of them still staring at the television._

_"You think this is why SHIELD sent us to the middle of nowhere, Norway?" she asked. Jane paused a long few moments._

_"Well, I do now," the scientist said quietly._

_Loki straightened, finally heading back toward the door as the two women silently continued to hold each other, uncertain of what to make of his feelings about it. It was hardly relevant, aside from his curiosity. He immediately found himself back out in the hall of the girl's mind, and he headed for the elevator._

_The bad news was that there seemed to be an infinite number of floors with no actual numbers. The good news was there were exactly three floors lit up, one of which was his floor. It made sense that the other two happened to be the other two entities occupying the lighted floors. It was just a matter of whom he found first._

* * *

"Thor, her nose is bleeding!" Jane said, panicked. Thor appeared immediately, tearing a cloth nearby and placing it over the blood coming out of her nostrils. Jane opened her mouth to make sure she could still breath, all while avoiding dislodging Loki from his stance at Darcy's head.

"She has three beings in her mind," Thor said gravely. "It is a lot for a human with no magic."

" _You_  said it would be fine," Jane said lowly, taking the cloth from him and trying to dab the blood away.

"She  _will_  be, Jane," Thor said. "Trust in her strength, she will make it."

* * *

_The elevator dinged opened to a lobby with only one door this time, rather than a long corridor. He nodded his head appreciatively as he stepped out. That made his job easier. The entire vestibule seemed to be made out of slate and stone. Quite bland, really. A very distinct banging seemed to be coming from the other side, along with some rather annoyed growls of feminine frustration. He was quite certain he had found the girl first._

_"Darcy?" he called from the other side of the gray, stone door._

_All was silent._

_He knocked on the door._

_"Darcy," he called again._

_"No, it's the Great and Powerful Oz. Who the hell are you?" he heard muffled from the other side. Loki rolled his eyes for the second time since entering the girl's mind, and he doubted it would be the last._

_"I am Loki," the sorcerer said quite proudly. "I am here to rescue you."_

_"I'm dreaming about you coming to save me?" said the muffled voice, followed by another loud bang. "I guess this is officially rock bottom." Another bang. Loki was not wrong in his assumption regarding his desire to roll his eyes once more, but he refrained for the sake of not boring himself._

_"I will ignore your cheek, mortal, as I understand you have encountered a certain amount of distress."_

_"I'm honored," the muffled voice said. Loki grit his teeth as another loud bang sounded against the stone._

_"What is that noise?"_

_"A sledgehammer."_

_"Where did you get the that?"_

_"I thought about having one really hard."_

_"Then why didn't you think the door open really hard?"_

_"Wow, I hadn't thought of that. You really are the brains of the Odinsons, aren't you?" Loki was quite certain he would grind his own teeth into dust if he stayed much longer. "The door is at least cracking," she continued. "I'll be out of here in no time. Get out of here, dream-Loki. Please crawl back into whatever horrifying part of my brain you crawled out of."_

_"I'm not part of your memory, you little fool. I am in your mind at the request of my brother to wake you up. Now tell me what you see, so that I may assist and be out of this sanitorium you call a mind."_

_"How in hell would you get in here?"_

_"It's called magic, mortal. Do try to keep up."_

_"You are actually here in my brain using magic?"_

_"It appears wonders will never cease, she finally understands," Loki sneered._

_"Get out of here!" she shrieked, still muffled behind the door, banging on the door for emphasis. "I don't need you in my brain. I like wearing pants, thank you very much!" Loki literally shook his head, genuinely confused._

_"I don't plan on interfering with your ability to do so, I am quite sure."_

_"Tell that to Erik! Get out of my head!" Another bang. Loki pinched the bridge of his nose, committed more than ever to finishing this task as quickly as ever. Clearly, doing favors for others for no reason was not working out for him. Ignoring the creature on the other side, he turned his attention to the door. It was of a solid construction. In spite of what she claimed, he was quite certain it was not going anywhere, though how she had trapped herself in her own mind he was sure he would never know._

_The door, while plain, had several indentations. He hovered his hand over them, quite certain he could feel magic humming. The door had actual runes on it. The girl hadn't made it, and that only left whatever had taken hold of her responsible. It left a strange feeling in his stomach, as they seemed somehow familiar. It was old magic. Asgardian magic. He frowned. How or why an Asgardian would have done all this, he wasn't sure. If it had been successful in trapping her in her own mind, than it would have no problem coming into control. Why had it not made its move then? Curious._

_"Stand back, child, I can open this," Loki said confidently. Several moments passed, and the constant thumping stopped. Confident she had ceased her fruitless attempt to break the door, he ran his fingers over the door, the runes lighting up under his touch._

_"Whoa!" he heard from the other side. He smirked, watching as the runes lit all the way down to the floor before fading, draining themselves of magic. The door began to groan as it slid open, leaving only the little mortal before him, arms crossed and determined to look unimpressed, even though the hammer she had managed to conjure lay useless at her feet._

_"Thanks," Darcy replied awkwardly, not looking at him. "I guess."_

_"Yes, yes, your gratitude abounds. Let us get moving, shall we?" Loki watched as she frowned at him cautiously, but still obeyed, her eyes darting around as if expecting something to jump out at her. He took a cursory glance into the room in which she had been trapped. It seemed a very comfortable room, many of the items in Asgardian style._

_"You created this room?" he asked. Darcy shook her head._

_"Just the sledgehammer earlier this morning when I finally realized I was trapped in my own head," she replied. "Weird realization, let me tell you. I managed to think some screwdrivers up, but then remembered the door was stone. Also: not a cat burglar."_

_"Interesting," Loki said, heading towards the elevator._

_"I have an elevator in my head?" she squeaked. "And why is that interesting?"_

_"The rooms of your mind seem to be your memories," he said, his long stride reaching the elevator. "If you do not recognize this room, then it was created by something else."_

_"Something else?" she questioned absently. "Hey buttons," she said in a tone somewhere between interested in non-chalant. Loki took note that only two floor were lit up, their current one included._

_"Astute observation, mortal," he said dryly, pressing the other lit floor._

_"How do you know so much about_  my brain _?" she asked. "And where are we going?"_

_"The Soulforge told us there was another consciousness in your mind," Loki said, realizing just then how truly isolated she had been from events around her. "You recall your fall on the bridge, I assume?" Darcy looked to the ground._

_"Yeah," she said quietly, shuffling her feet._

_"The light that attacked you was some sort of traveller looking for a host. It is hiding in your mind, and we have to go find the creature and extract it." Darcy tried her best to grip the elevator walls and it took off up to the lighted floor. "As far as the workings of your brain, it was not difficult to figure out, given enough time to look around."_

_"Look around?" she said, eyes landing on Loki. "You know what, not even going to ask." She paused for exactly one second. "Why are you helping me? I thought you were dead."_ So much for no more questions _, Loki mused._

_"Is that why you jumped off of the Rainbow Bridge at the sight of me?" he asked. "You thought me a ghost?"_

_"No," she said, drawing out the syllable. "That tends to be my gut reaction to terrorists who try to take over my planet running at me," she replied as casually as possible, sticking her hands in her pockets. "You being dead was kind of an afterthought. Has your brush with death got you turning over a new leaf of helping people?" Loki scoffed._

_"I am here to avoid being nagged into a second death," he replied. "I'm afraid that is the extent of my altruism." Darcy shrugged._

_"And here I thought I wasn't going to believe a word you said," she replied, looking at the buttons to the elevator. "No numbers or anything?"_

_"It is your mind," Loki commented, as if to explain. Darcy was silent a moment._

_"I bet Jane's brain looks like a label maker went to town on it," she commented. "Like a perfectly organized lab. Not sure about Thor."_

_"Dust blowing in a desert, I assure you." he replied. "We have reached the floor." Darcy hit the close door button quickly before the elevator opened._

_"Wait!" she whispered harshly. "We can't just walk in on whatever's in my brain. What if it is like a monster?"_

_"Then I will dispose of it quickly," Loki replied easily. "Whatever this creature is, it is from Asgard and it has been avoiding taking full control, for some reason. It is either weak or non-malicious." He pressed the button to open the door._

_"You don't think that's jumping to a conclusion just a little bit?" Darcy said as the doors slid open._

_"Yes, I'm going to take advice in reasoning from_  you _," Loki sneered, crossing from the elevator into the hallway. Darcy scowled._

_"I see you have not lost your sense of diplomacy, my son," a soft voice said from the new floor. Loki froze, his eyes slowly shifting to the 'creature' within._

_"Mother?" he whispered._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

_Darcy had once thought her own head would be the one place in which she could not ever feel awkward._

_Staring at the Queen of Asgard and God of Mischief camped out in some apparently dark corner of her brain that looked like a weird hotel which she so did not get, she realized that was far from correct. And an elevator? Really? Not to mention the super-scary Loki had apparently been poking around her memories. How in the world could Jane and Thor thought this was a good idea? Good god, she hope he missed her puberty floor. And/or any and all times she had ever masturbated. No! She had just thought the word 'masturbate' in front of both Loki and the queen while they were all in her brain. Could they hear her? She really hoped they couldn't. And why was she terrified of Loki seeing her masturbate at such a moment? What was wrong with her? Thor's mom was alive! Sort of? Granted, she had never met her, but Jane had said she was really amazing. And what were they even doing? Loki was just staring at her, and Frigga back at him, while her own eyes just darted back and forth between them. Should she leave? Could she leave? Darcy watched as a tear glistened in the corner of the queen's eye._

_"And here I thought I would never hear you call me that again," Frigga said softly. Darcy bit her lip as she slowly tried to back up into the elevator. Was it possible to intrude on something in her own head? She froze when the queen's eyes suddenly fell to her, and she felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. "You needn't be frightened, Darcy. It was not my intention to harm you. I did not even realize where I had manifested until I was already here and unable to leave. My soul was not accepted into Valhalla. I was left to wander until it found a vessel that could accept me." Darcy was about to dare a question, but her mouth closed quickly when Loki beat her to it._

_"You were not allowed into Valhalla?" Loki asked in a tone that seemed dangerously calm to Darcy. "How?" Frigga turned her eyes back to Loki, a grave sort of expression overtaking her._

_"Malekith's vengeance for open defiance, no doubt," Frigga replied. "The Kursed who killed me was somehow able to infect my very soul with it's foulness. The Hall Guardians rejected me at the gates. Fortunately, they did not deem it necessary I be sent to Helheim, but instead, said they would send me to wander Yggdrasil until I found a way to cleanse myself." Darcy felt another set of goosebumps forming when Frigga looked back at her. "I'm afraid I had no control over my spirit while I travelled. Mortals are easily overtaken, I am afraid. I would surely never want to put you in danger. Please forgive me for sealing you away from me. I was not sure of what would happen if our spirits were to meet before I regained my strength. I couldn't be sure you would not diminish and I take your place in this form."_

_"Oh," Darcy said quietly, terror at the thought that it could have happened quieting her quite severely. "Thanks."_

_"It is I who must thank you," Frigga said. "If you had not been in Asgard, my soul might have been travelling quite a while before it found somewhere. Few daughters of Midgard have ever been allowed here. I am surprised my husband allowed you to return so soon."_

_"Then how are we to get you out of here?" Loki asked, his voice edged with the strain of impatience._

_"I am afraid I am not sure," Frigga said sadly, her elegant hand running to her stomach. Darcy gasped._

_"You're bleeding!" she said unthinkingly._

_"It is all right," the queen said quietly as Loki moved forward, moving her hand away from the wound. "It is the Kurse. The wound will stay with my spirit until I am cleansed, but it cannot kill me any more than it already has." Loki backed away, though Frigga still held his hand. Darcy watched a raw wave of emotion pass over Loki's face as Frigga clutched it desperately to her chest. "Oh my son," she whispered. "If there is one good thing to come from this, it is that I could see you once more." Darcy looked away, wishing more than ever she could just transform into some kind of non-descript animal and hop away. It was disconcerting, seeing Loki like this. Not all crazy and horrifying like he was on TV back on earth, but like a real person. She was so getting for real drunk after this, even if Thor's mama was in her head. She could probably use a drink too._

_"I will find a way," Loki assured her. "We can find a way to restore your body, and you would not have to return to Valhalla." Frigga laughed sadly as she released her grip on Loki's hand._

_"Oh my darling, my form is long since raised to the stars. There is no retrieving it."_

_"If I could find a way," he insisted. "You would wish it?"_

_"Of course I would wish to return, darling. But such a thing is not possible. The most I could hope for is to find away to be rid of this foulness so that I could join the halls of my ancestors. I am not even sure how that would be done." Darcy froze as the queen once again looked to her. "Nor do I know of any effect this could have on you, my dear. I'm so sorry that you've been drawn into all of this." Darcy shrugged nervously._

_"Oh, well, you know. Apparently Midgardians can't visit other worlds without getting possessed by one thing or another. You are probably a lot more pleasant than the Aether, so… could have been worse."_

_"I am pleased to find you so agreeable," the queen replied, a mix of mild surprise and even milder humor in her voice. "I have managed to recover considerably since I have been here, and so you should be able to awaken without the risk of being uprooted by me, thankfully. At your leave, I may simply dwell here until we find a way for me to move elsewhere." Darcy found herself nodding awkwardly, but stopped -even more awkwardly- when Frigga paused. "But you mustn't linger," she continued, turning her eyes to Loki. "She is not accustomed to mind magic you are ustng. The toll on her body will be considerable if you stay much longer." Loki nodded, embracing her tightly to him._

_"I will find a way," he said a quiet reserve. "I swear I will find a way to bring you home." Frigga smiled sadly, placing a gentle hand on his cheek for a moment._

_"I have not yet been committed to Valhalla, and so it would not be unnatural for me to return," she said. "But you must do nothing unnatural to return my form, Loki." A grave look crossed the queen's face. "Swear it." Darcy watched as Loki remained deathly silent for several long moments._

_"I swear it," he said tightly. "Let's go." Two long strides and he was at Darcy's side, grabbing her arm, albeit not too roughly. She gave a short cry of surprise as she struggled to regain her balance._

_'Easy, Jack Skellington!" she said sharply as Loki pulled her along toward the elevator. Her tone immediately shifted to a friendly "Bye!" as she waved at the queen, who raised her hand back in farewell, a gentle smile on her face._

* * *

Thor watched as his brother stirred, slowly awakening and attempting to rise from his kneeled position at the Darcy's side.

"Loki!" he said firmly, grabbing the sorcerer's shoulder and 'helping' him stand up. Loki shoved his arm away.

"I  _hate_  it when you do that," he hissed, holding his head with his hands.

"What did you find," Thor demanded.

"She does have a guest, apparently," Loki replied, straightening his jacket.

"And, well, what is it?" Thor said impatiently.

"Your mom," Darcy said weakly, her eyes slowly opening. "And I don't mean that figuratively. Where's the bathroom?" Thor frowned in confusion.

"Just over there," Loki answered, pointing. For someone who had been asleep for two days, Darcy shot off of the Soul Forge with surprising agility, breaking through the orange material as she rocketed towards the indicated water closet.

"What does she mean?" Thor asked, the tension in his voice deflating, his eyes following Darcy as she disappeared down the dark hall. The sound of a door shutting and her immediately emptying the contents of her stomach broke through the silence shortly thereafter as the three sets of eyes drew toward the bathroom.

"I'm going to go check on her," Jane said, her eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"It is the after effect of the magic," Loki said calmly. "She will be fine."

"What did she mean, Loki?" Thor questioned.

"Frigga, apparently, is her occupant," Loki replied. "The Kursed that killed her has somehow managed to taint her spirit and keep her from Valhalla. The first occupiable space her banished spirit could acquire would be the little mortal you brought with you."

"That is impossible," Thor insisted. "How could they keep the Queen of Asgard out of the Halls, when she died in battle, no less?"

"'Twas not us who made the rules, brother, but that is what it is. Her soul is now residing in Darcy until we can find her a new form." Another wave of Darcy's rather grotesque retching broke through the silence.

"Find her a new form?" Thor asked. "How?"

"Well, if I knew that, I'd hardly be sitting here talking to you about it," Loki snipped. "Her body is irretrievable to the likes of us. The only thing we can do is find her a new one somehow."

"A new one?"

"Is it now your job to repeat everything I say as a question?" Thor gritted his teeth as Jane and Darcy made their return, the elder with a comforting arm draped over her friend's shoulders.

"Did I miss the fight?" Darcy asked, albeitly weakly. "I haven't caught the live showing yet. Unless you count it when you fought the giant metal robot, but that was more Thor versus Loki by proxy."

"Darcy," Thor said, relief washing over him as he marched forward to scoop the girl up in an embrace, her arms pinned to her side.

"Oh my god Thor, I just threw up. I don't think you want the encore," she groaned quickly as Thor put her down.

"Forgive me," he said concerned as Darcy laid back down on the Soul Forge on her side, curling up and chattering her teeth.

"I feel like I got run over by a semi," she whined. "Or like I fell off of a bridge and got hit by space debris, and then a supposedly dead wizard broke into my brain and scrambled around for a while."

"You are welcome," Loki said cooly. Jane rolled her eyes as she found a blanket on a nearby shelf, draping it over the brunette.

"Your help is appreciated, as always," Jane said dryly, though not entirely unkindly, as she brushed Darcy's hair back. "Can I get you anything?" she whispered. Darcy shook her head.

"What are we to do, then?" Thor asked. "Mother's soul is simply… there?"

"A temporary dwelling, yes. I am not sure how long this can last, so I do not recommend wasting any time."

"What do you suggest?" Thor asked.

"A great deal of research, I'm afraid," Loki said. "Naturally, it would be ideal to have her actual body, but there can be no getting that back. Short of trying to find a freshly dead Asgardian and trying to put her in there, I have no ideas at the moment."

"What exactly happened to her body?" Jane asked.

"It was raised to the stars," Thor answered.

"But what does that mean?" Jane questioned.

"The matter is broken up into it's base level, and becomes part of the core of the stars, Miss Foster," Loki offered. "I doubt her life strands are even still together, even if we could reach them."

"Life strands?" Darcy asked, sitting up, though still keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around her. "Like DNA?"

"I believe that is what Midgardians have called it," Loki replied.

"So, theoretically, you could make her a new body with DNA?" Jane asked.

"Like  _clone_  her?" Darcy added.

"I do not know," Loki said impatiently at the pepper of questions for which he did not have the exact answer. "I have never attempted it. I have heard of rituals of returning one from the dead with a lock of hair, but it always calls the body to it from wherever it laid. Making a new one is quite another matter."

"Plus I don't think zombies fall under the 'non-unnatural' category," Darcy added weakly. "Don't the light elves have some kind of rebirthing ceremony?" The room went silent, all eyes on Darcy. The youngest occupant looked back at them uncomfortably. "What? I thought I read something about it last week," she defended. "I can't remember the details, though."

"She is right," Loki agreed, albeit hesitantly. "They do have a ceremony to prolong the lives of their revered elders, I believe. We cannot be sure if would work for Aesir, but we can see."

"To the library, then," Thor command. The four of them turned toward the door, their course set for the one place they would find answers.

And all froze in place as Odin stood stoically at the door.

"Any chance he hasn't seen you yet?" Darcy whispered to Loki, who was in plain view of the king in front of them. Loki shut his eyes tightly, certain this mortal was going to drive him into a third early grave.

"No," Odin answered sourly.


	9. Chapter 9

 

 

 

Darcy had, personally, never been in a Mexican Standoff. It just didn't really happen in her type of life. For one, she didn't live in a Western. Two, she didn't even like guns all that much. Tasers were more her style.

However, watching Thor looking at Odin, who was looking at Loki, who was casually leaning up against the Soulforge next to her and grinning like a devious loon at Thor, Darcy couldn't imagine it could be any more tense than that.

"Father, I can explain," Thor began.

"Oh, can you?" Odin asked, his voice dangerously gentle, in Darcy's opinion. It was actually quite creepy. "Your one task was to keep your charges out of trouble during their stay in Asgard. And here I find you, in the dead of night, using the Soulforge," his eyes turned back to Loki, "with one of our most dangerous prisoners walking freely." Darcy bit her lip, feeling like her spine was slowly inching its way out of her back.

"Loki is here as an ally, father," Thor defended.

"Is that so?" Odin questioned, coming to stand before the trickster, who remained amused as ever.

"I live to serve, of course," Loki replied outstretching his arm and bowing slightly, a toothy smile forming on his lips. Odin did not appear amused. Darcy eyed the door. She was on his no-eye, side, and he seemed pretty occupied. With any luck she could just slip out unnoticed…

"Stop where you are, girl," Odin said sternly on about her third inch toward the door.

"Stopping," Darcy said quickly, looking around awkwardly at anything other than Odin.

"And here I thought I was finally succumbing to madness when Thor spoke of conversations of which I had no recollection," Odin continued. "What was your plan, Loki? Kill me and pose as the rightful king?"

"Imprisonment would have been more satisfying, actually," Loki replied matter-of-factly. Odin remained perfectly passive.

"But instead now you have taken to assisting the mortals you tried to enslave but a year ago?" Loki straightened both his body and expression.

"Rule," he corrected.

"And just what is it that has this mortal in such dire need of your assistance?" Odin continued, turning his gaze on Darcy. She froze, hoping beyond hope she didn't pee herself under his scrutiny. Was he asking her? Should they try subtlety? Kind of ease him into what was going on nice and steady?

"Darcy has been possessed by mother's spirit," Thor interjected. Well, there went 'easing' out the window.

"Oh my  _god,_  Thor," Darcy hissed quietly. "You can't blurt that out like that."

"Malekith and the Kursed found some way to taint her so that she could not be permitted into Valhalla," Thor continued. "She was able to anchor into Darcy when she was out on the Observatory."

"Which Heimdall was totally okay with me being there," Darcy added.

"We must find a way to cleanse her," Thor said, "but if we can find a way to restore her body, she could return to us without violating any laws of our ancestors." Darcy held her breath, eyes darting back and forth as the tension drew out before, like a stretched out coil.

"I don't have my glasses, who's he looking at?" Darcy whispered.

"That would be you," Loki answered smoothly. Odin turned to look at his prodigal son, who seemed to be narrating the events. "Now me. You are safe for the moment, it would seem."

"Two years in prison, and you still act as thought you are part of some joke," Odin said gravely. "Even with Frigga's eternal fate at risk." Darcy was close enough to watch Loki glower, crossing his arms defiantly. "Mortals are frail enough that a bad cough could end them," the king continued, his voice growing louder. "If this mortal dies," he continued angrily, pointing at Darcy, whose eyes grew quite wide, "the queen's soul will be tied to whatever fate this one has carved out for herself."

"This is nothing any of us has done, including Darcy," Thor interjected vehemently, drawing Odin's gaze to him. "It is Malekith who kept mother from Valhalla. If anything, Darcy has provided us with a window of opportunity to correct this, as mother could not have taken an Asgardian for refuge. We should seize it and bring mother back for when she was so wrongly taken." Odin took a heavy breath, his one eye searching the floor for an answer, from what Darcy could tell.

"It would take power beyond us to accomplish anything such as this," Odin replied, looking back at Loki. "Powers few are willing to tempt."

"Loki shall be under my charge until this is sorted out," Thor said. "We need his aid." Darcy watched Odin as carefully as she could, almost wanting to run away when she realized he was coming closer. She none-too-discreetly took an exaggerated step to the side, when it was clear that Loki was his target.

"Loyal to the end, now, are we?" Odin asked. Darcy's eyes darted back to Loki, not entirely sure what was about to happen. She almost kind of felt sorry for the king, even if technically he was an enormous asshat, according to Jane. He wasn't winning any favors so far tonight either. Still, she felt kind of bad. Finds out his son is alive and a mortal was possessed by his wife in about two seconds. Had to be tough, even for him. "Are you expecting a pardon should you successfully restore Frigga?" Darcy was pretty sure Loki's eyes could cut through steel if he tried.

"I don't expect anything from you anymore," he practically spat. "Anything I do will not be for either of you." The silence stretch like a suffocating blanket on top of all of them. Darcy could practically hear the white noise.

"I see," Odin said simply, once again searching for something off in the distance. "You are not to leave the palace," he said, then turning to Darcy. "None of you are, until Frigga has been freed, one way or another." He turned back to Loki. "If I hear even a whisper of you using magic to leave the palace grounds, or causing any trouble, you will be arrested immediately, and returned to the dungeons."

"You mean you managed to preserve a few cells from destruction?" Loki questioned. "How fortunate you could not have afforded the queen such protection."  _Oh shit_ , Darcy thought internally, eyes wide as she took another step back. She saw Odin's hand raise, though not entirely sure of his intentions. She screamed before she could stop herself.

"Stop, Odin!" flew from her mouth before she could clamp her two hands over her face, a wave of terror and nausea washing over her as Odin's one eye, alight with fury, turned to her. Dear god, he was going to kill her. He was going to kill her right there. "I didn't mean it!" she squeaked from behind her hands just before she crossed her arms awkwardly over her chest. "I didn't say it. I mean I did, but I didn't want to. I mean, granted, he does seem to be the one person able to keep me alive at this point… but I get the wanting to strangle him thing… so, I mean, on some level I might have wanted to say sometime but I  _so_  wouldn't call you by your first name. For the record, I think I'm still suffering from a mild brain damage brought on by jumping off a bridge, possession, and/or a demi-god poking around in my-"

"Silence, mortal," Odin said harshly.

"Silencing," Darcy said quietly, looking at the ground, eyes wide as saucers. Why couldn't she conveniently pass out this time and just wake up when it was all over?

"We are sorry, father," Thor said, coming forward and placing a firm hand on Darcy's shoulder and his other on Jane's. "Emotions are high. We shall retire and discuss our course of action in the morning. Come Loki." To Darcy's surprise, neither Loki nor Odin said another word as they departed the Healer's rooms, and Loki actually followed them.

"You have been uncharacteristically quiet, brother," Thor said as he and Loki made their way back to their old rooms after escorting Jane and Darcy to theirs. "Have you finally run out of barbs? I would say your last hit its mark quite admirably. I can't think of anything you could say to ever top it. Perhaps you should retire."

"You never did dream very grandly, Thor," Loki replied, though his tone did not hold its normal flair of mockery. "I can always do better. It hardly matters, though. I have other things with which to concern myself. Am I correct in assuming my old room was purged of my taint?" They finally reached the two matching golden doors that led to their adjoining rooms. Thor sighed, opening the door to Loki's room for him before he peeked hesitantly inside.

"It is just as you left it," Thor said, disappearing into his own room and shutting the door. It was but a few moments, as he changed into a sleeping shirt, before he heard another door click open. Loki came from the living area between their bedchambers.

"And you did not have this removed?" Loki asked, gesturing to the connection of his room to Thor's.

"I didn't see a reason to bother to change it," Thor replied. "No one else had really been in there."

"You seem terribly calm about all this," Loki said suddenly. Thor chuckled.

"Do I?"

"Normally you can hardly stand your own skin if you are at a loss of what to do or cannot simply beat your problems into submission."

"Well I doubt that would work very well with Darcy," Thor replied, sitting on the edge of his bed to remove his boots.

"And what exactly  _is_  going to work on her?" Loki asked impatiently. "The little creature could practically keel over at any moment. We don't know how much time we have." Thor sighed.

"We don't even know what we are trying to do yet, let alone if it would work," he replied. "And mortals are not so frail as that. Darcy is a perfectly healthy young woman. As a matter of fact, the only time she comes close to death is when we are near her."

"Or when your little angel gets herself possessed by the Aether, perhaps," Loki replied snidely. Thor tossed a look at his brother, but made no reply to the accusation.

"We will figure out what to do. Darcy will be well-protected until we can sort out how to-" he paused, "get mother out of there, I suppose." He looked at Loki, who seemed strung as tightly as a bowstring. "Rest, brother. I have spent far too much of these past two years in urgency and fear. Father is not calling for your arrest, knowing you are here. No one is in danger immediately and mother might return to us. I have only the greatest hope for tomorrow. You should as well."

* * *

_"I just slept for almost two days; this is ridiculous," Darcy said, flopping around on the couch of the room of her mind in which Frigga dwelt. The queen had managed to create quite the comfy set up as they sat talking. The queen looked on sympathetically. "So, you can hear what is going on out there?"_

_"Yes," Frigga answered. "It is not my wish to spy on you, my dear, but I'm afraid now that you have awakened, your consciousness is blended with my own."_

_"And_ you _yelled at the king through me?" Darcy asked._

_"I did not realize that would happened," Frigga explained. "I apologize for putting you in that position. I reacted without thinking."_

_"Do you really think he was going to hurt Loki?" Darcy asked curiously, watching the queen sigh heavily._

_"No, I do not," Frigga replied, "now that I have my wits about me. My son and husband have always been good at knowing how to hurt each other, though I am afraid Loki is a bit more skilled at it. When Odin raises his hand to Thor or Loki, it usually ended with a clenched fist of frustration. Nevertheless, no matter how benign, a mother never truly lets down her guard around her children."_

_"He seems like he can take care of himself," Darcy commented dryly, hanging her head off of the edge of the couch, viewing the queen upside down. "Sorry, I am not being very proper in front of you," she commented._

_"It is your mind, and I the intruder," Frigga answered, a hint of laughter in her voice. "I shall not require decorum from you. Loki likes to believe he can take care of himself. In truth, to me, he is still the same lost little boy fighting for the approval of his father and brother."_

_"It's hard to imagine lost little boys taking over worlds," Darcy said plainly. Frigga stared at the young woman from her rather awkward position on the couch._

_"I do not doubt your perception of him is different," Frigga said, " and I have no right to ask you to see him as I do, but you can rest assured, you have a great ally in Loki."_

_"For the moment," Darcy replied. "Oh well. I'm, done talking about Loki. He makes me nervous."_

_"You hide it well," Frigga said. Darcy shrugged awkwardly, sitting up._

_"So you really have no idea how to get yourself out of here?"_

_"Not anything that I know would work for sure," the queen replied. "You are clearly able to access some of my knowledge through our link, as you mentioned the rebirthing cycle of the Light Elves."_

_"_ That's _where I remembered it from?" Darcy asked. "I figured I must have read about it, but couldn't remember the book." Frigga nodded._

_"The inhabitants of Alfheim have ruled themselves since the passing of my father, their former appointed king. They have few revered rulers they deem necessary to prolong their lives so that they can continue to share their wisdom for their people."_

_"Is that what you want?" Darcy asked. "Do you want to come back? Or were you happy about Valhalla?" Frigga stared at the young woman blankly._

_"Death comes to us all," the queen replied. "My years are long, and my life was drawing to an end. I was at peace with that. Though, I do wish I could have seen my sons more settled before I passed. If I were to be reborn, I could be sure Asgard was secure in my wake, even if it did prolong my life longer than I had intended."_

_"Thor said he didn't want to be king," Darcy commented, "and I'm guessing Loki isn't a stellar candidate anymore. Where does that leave everything, if Odin doesn't live much longer either?" Frigga stared at the young woman._

_"You are very perceptive, for one so young," Frigga commented. Darcy quirked her mouth to the side awkwardly, unsure of how to receive a compliment from the queen. "The world is very clear to you. You fear my son, and yet you know you need him, and you were not afraid to say it to my husband."_

_"I say a lot of stuff when I ramble," Darcy replied. "And I was very scared, actually. Accidentally yelling at a king was never high on my to-do list." A small, sad smile crept over the queen's lips as she watched her young companion shift uncomfortably on the couch on which they sat._

_"I wonder," the queen asked. "Are you as perceptive of yourself?" Darcy shrugged again, non-committally._

_"Not really a lot to me," Darcy replied. "It's easier to tag along with Jane who actually does cool stuff. I've always been more of an on-looker, and I think I like that more. Onlookers don't get possessed by infinity powers -well,_ usually _\- or fall in love with alien princes or find wormholes to other planets. It's much more fun to watch drama than to actually be a part of it."_

_"You are a young woman. You've never dreamed of being swept up in some great adventure?" Frigga questioned. "I thought all young women wanted some kind romance."_

_"Yeah, well. In my mom's case, her big adventure was with a high school football player with five teeth that left her pregnant at nineteen. Our dramas usually don't have happy endings. They just really suck, and the story doesn't end after the credits roll, either."_

* * *

Thor may have suddenly developed the ability to sleep during a storm, but Loki was far from willing to call it a night. There were questions that needed answers. In spite of himself, Loki was not completely willing to bait Odin further than he already had that evening, and so his trip to the library was a discreet one.

The little mortal -Darcy, he supposed he should start calling her- had actually been onto something when she had mentioned the light elves, surprisingly. His mother was, or had been, far more versed in the magic of of the light elves than he. Their craft had always been focused on healing and restoration arts. He, of course, had studied enough of their art to heal his idiotic brother when he got himself injured in battle, but soul magic had never really interested him.

The library had always been his sanctuary. Even for the past several weeks of living in Asgard again, it had been his place of solace, save for when the -Darcy- had intruded, which had been more often than he had preferred. Of course, it was the middle of the night, and all was silent. Pouring into research in complete solitude made the blood sing in his fingertips. Frigga's soul was a mere breath away from them. The chance to restore her was at his fingertips, and he would not let the opportunity slip away from him.

His footsteps echoed against the elegant marble as he made his way to the section of the library that housed most of the knowledge of Alfheim. To his irritation, he noticed that many of the volumes he thought would be useful were missing. Frowning, cast his green eyes back over the library, searching for anything amiss. The books were normally kept in impeccable order. It did not take long for him to spot a rather immodest pile of books on a table near the giant window. The frown remained etched on his features as he approach the table, seeing several volumes splayed open in the moonlight. He was about to be thoroughly baffled until the faint sound of shallow, feminine breaths suddenly caught his ear. Rolling his eyes, he stooped low, catching the large blue eyes of his prey staring at him from under the table.

"Am I to understand the accommodations of the palace have declined to such a standing that guests now prefer the underside of tables to their beds?" The blue eyes narrowed a small bit behind her glasses that she had located since the infirmary.

"All this gold crap and not one decent pillow fluffer around here," came the petulant reply as the source of the voice crawled out from under the table. Loki felt one side of his mouth draw up as he stood, meeting the short brunette that had been occupying more of his attention as of late. "It makes someone somehow not want to sleep more than forty-eight hours straight or something."

"I will take this as your reasoning for not being in your room at this hour," he replied, casually picking one of the open books she had laid open on the table. "Brushing up on your Ancient Alfheim? Midgardian education must have become more extensive than I last knew."

"What can I say? Alien invasions do nothing if not expand the mind," she replied dryly, crossing her arms over her chest while clutching the soft blue shawl around her shoulders, raising a fine brow at him. "For better or worse." In spite of himself, Loki could not keep the smirk from forming as humor twinkled in his eyes at the child's flippancy.

"Of course. You must also be acquainted with my former assistant," Loki replied casually, pleased with her eyes narrowing even more.

"If by assistant, you mean man you enslaved and brain scrambled, yes, I know Erik," Darcy bit out, grabbing one of the books from the table and flopping herself down dramatically in a chair facing the window away from him, burying her nose deeply within the pages.

"That book is in another language," he offered, casually, coming to sit in the chair next to her. "Not to mention upside down." A short moment of defiance passed before she finally righted the book, though it remained safely between his and her line of sight. With a wave of his hand, the book disappeared from her hands into his, leaving a quiet gasp in her wake.

"I doubt a volume on Alfheim foliage really has gripped your attention so raptly," he said casually as he examined the book she had seized.

"Ignoring you had my attention so raptly," she snipped. "I can't sleep because I've been knocked out for two days and am just kind of okay being awake. Why are you here? I can't imagine beds are a problem assuming you sleep hanging upside down, which is my guess."

"You are quite mouthy for a completely helpless mortal," Loki commented, picking up another of the books she had grabbed. "It could get you into trouble someday."

"I'm pretty full up on trouble already," she retorted, crossing her arms, eyeing the table of books awkwardly. "I'll take my chances."

"For someone willing to speak out of turn to the All-father on my behalf, you wound me now, Miss Lewis." He watched as her face screwed into an uncomfortable scowl.

"Well, I'm pretty sure trying to sleep with insomnia is easier than talking to you," she said, standing up quickly, grabbing another book, clutching it to her chest. "I'm taking this one and it's probably the best one." The trickster felt a smirk crawl over his features as the mortal turned her back toward him to make for the door.

"One minute you claim I am the only one who can save your life, and now this?" Loki questioned, standing to his feet. Darcy paused before she got very far, turning back to him.

"If you are going to help me, it's because you get something out of it," she replied matter-of-factly, "I doubt my charming personality is what won you over." A large grin broke across his face, and he watched as she shifted uncomfortably, taking a subtle step back as he approached her.

"Still," he said, approaching her slowly. "Would it not be so much easier if we were to get along, while we must work together?" He watched as her face shifted from cautiously eyeing his every step to once again raising a fine brow at him. He was beginning to like this mortal.

"Get along?" Darcy repeated flatly.

"Surely it would be in both of our interests to dissipate this needless hostility."

"N-" Darcy almost choked on the syllable as she looked around incredulously, "needless hostility? You tried to enslave my planet."

"And failed, sadly," he replied, "and now your kin are merrily carrying on as before, slaughtering and starving each other with native ease by their so-called leaders."

"All of whom think they are doing the world a favor by ruling," she retorted. "But political theory is on a long list of topics I am _so_  not discussing with you."

"It's just as well," Loki replied. "I bore rather easily." From the glare she gave him, he imagined Sif must have been giving her scowling lessons in the past weeks. "Nevertheless," he continued, once again taking the book she clutched to her with a wave of his hand and setting it on the table, "you do happen to be quite valuable to me at the moment, as I am to you. Is it not in both our best interests to perhaps call a truce with one another for our mutual benefit?" With unnatural grace, he extended his hand to her, long fingers open in supplication as he gave her the most innocent look he could muster. She scowled at his hand.

"I don't like you sounding reasonable," she said grudgingly, taking his hand. "It makes me feel weird."

"And here I would believe it was you being possessed by the spirit of the Asgardian queen," he replied, placing a brief kiss to her knuckles. Darcy scowled again, wiping the back of her hand on her nightgown none-too discreetly when he released it.

"That's easy peasy compared to this," she said. "Well anyway. Goodnight then, I guess."

"How did you know anything about Alfheim magic?" he questioned suddenly. She turned back to him, hesitantly.

"I didn't," she replied hesitantly.

"Frigga did then?" he asked. "You have her knowledge?"

"Not, like, all of it," she answered. "She's not entirely sure how this works. She said something about our consciousness being shared kind of. She can project her feelings onto me, if she isn't careful."

"You can still speak with her?" he questioned. Darcy nodded.

"When I fell asleep, I saw her again, anyway," she said. "She talked about some Light Elf cycle, but she wasn't sure if it would work, but she had said their magic would be the best bet. I couldn't sleep, so I figured I would just look around." She paused. "You probably know what you are actually looking at, so I can just stay out of your way."

"You may stay if you wish," Loki offered. "If you are having trouble sleeping."

"You don't have to be nice to me. I know you don't like humans," she said. "So does she, so, we're not fooling anyone here." She paused awkwardly. "Thanks for your help all the same. Goodnight." Loki watched as her small form slowly retreated, her light footsteps quieting as she drew further and further from him.

 


End file.
